PUBLISHED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
14th February 2015
A recent study conducted by University College London found that the memory and walking speeds of adults who have lost all of their teeth decline more rapidly than in those who still have some of their own teeth.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, looked at 3,166 adults aged 60 or over and compared their performance in tests of memory and walking speed. The results showed that the people with none of their own teeth performed approximately 10% worse in both memory and walking speed tests than the people with teeth.
The association between total tooth loss and memory was explained after the results were fully adjusted for a wide range of factors, including sociodemographic characteristics, existing health problems, physical health and health behaviours, such as smoking and drinking. However, after adjusting for all possible factors, people without teeth still walked slightly slower than those with teeth.
These links between older adults in England losing all natural teeth and having poorer memory and worse physical function 10 years later were particularly evident in adults aged 60 to 74 .
“Tooth loss could be used as an early marker of mental and physical decline in older age, particularly among 60-74 year-olds,” says lead author Dr Georgios Tsakos (UCL Epidemiology & Public Health). “We find that common causes of tooth loss and mental and physical decline are often linked to socioeconomic status, highlighting the importance of broader social determinants such as education and wealth to improve the oral and general health of the poorest members of society.
“Regardless of what is behind the link between tooth loss and decline in function, recognising excessive tooth loss presents an opportunity for early identification of adults at higher risk of faster mental and physical decline later in their life.”
I think this is very relevant to our community here where I see some very poor dentition in some sectors of our community. Education of basic dental healthcare is an essential element in improving this: by taking the time to teach your children the importance of looking after their teeth, you will be setting them on a course for better long-term future health.
For adults, the loss of any tooth is not a decision to be taken lightly and every effort should be made to preserve teeth where possible. I often see an attitude of ‘Just extract it. Don’t fill it.’ This research is proving that the long-term consequences are much greater than the loss of just one tooth.
