Link between dental health and cognitive decline and dementia?
|
Overview
An analysis of all relevant studies published in the medical literature published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society indicates that poor periodontal health and tooth loss may increase the risk of both cognitive decline and dementia.
The analysis, included 47 studies. Poor periodontal health 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.
Ref:
Dawn Peters,"Periodontal Health, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia - A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Longitudinal Studies"Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, DOI 10.1111/jgs.17978
Speakers
Isra Zaman
B.Sc Life Sciences, M.Sc Biotechnology, B.Ed
Isra Zaman is a Life Science graduate from Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, and a postgraduate in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a flair for writing, and her roles at Medicaldialogues include that of a Sr. content writer and a medical correspondent. Her news pieces cover recent discoveries and updates from the health and medicine sector. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.
