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Can good dental health help protect against cognitive decline and dementia?

An analysis of all relevant studies published in the medical literature indicates that poor periodontal health and tooth loss may increase the risk of both cognitive decline and dementia.The analysis, which is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, included 47 studies. Poor periodontal health (reflected by having periodontitis, tooth loss, deep periodontal pockets,...
An analysis of all relevant studies published in the medical literature indicates that poor periodontal health and tooth loss may increase the risk of both cognitive decline and dementia.
The analysis, which is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, included 47 studies. Poor periodontal health (reflected by having periodontitis, tooth loss, deep periodontal pockets, or alveolar bone loss) was associated with a 23% higher odds of cognitive decline and a 21% higher risk of dementia.
Tooth loss alone was linked to a 23% higher odds of cognitive decline and a 13% higher risk of dementia. The overall quality of evidence was low, however.
"From a clinical perspective, our findings emphasize the importance of monitoring and management of periodontal health in the context of dementia prevention, although available evidence is not yet sufficient to point out clear ways for early identification of at-risk individuals, and the most efficient measures to prevent cognitive deterioration," the authors wrote.
Reference:
Asher, S, Stephen, R, Mäntylä, P, Suominen, AL, Solomon, A. Periodontal health, cognitive decline, and dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022; 1- 15. doi:10.1111/jgs.17978
Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Before Joining Medical Dialogues, he has served at important positions in the medical industry in India including as the Hony. Secretary of the Delhi Medical Association as well as the chairman of Anti-Quackery Committee in Delhi and worked with other Medical Councils in India. Email: editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751