Poor oral health and function are linked to a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia later in life. Digest
Maintaining oral health may play a more important role in brain aging than previously recognized. A new study from Korea followed middle-aged and older adults to see if oral health could help predict future memory problems.
The study tracked more than 6,700 adults aged 45 and older without a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, who answered questions about their oral health at the start of the study. Over the next four years, they took part in regular interviews that recorded any new physician diagnoses of MCI or dementia.
You just missed this in your inbox
Every other week our Premium Members received this exact study plus Rhonda's practical commentary and 8+ other hand-picked papers.
The key measures were:
- Overall oral health, assessed using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), a 12-item survey about oral pain, function, and discomfort, scored from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating better oral health.
- Chewing ability, self-reported as either "good" or "poor".
Here's what the study found:
- Each one-point increase in GOHAI score corresponded to about a 2% lower risk of developing MCI or dementia.
- Those who reported chewing well had about half the risk of MCI or dementia compared to those with chewing difficulties.
- These patterns held up even after accounting for age, education, physical activity, smoking, and other health conditions.
- The older group (65 and up) showed the same trends, suggesting the findings also apply well beyond middle age.
The authors note that difficulty chewing may lessen brain stimulation, decrease blood flow to areas involved in memory and thinking, and affect diet quality, while poor oral health can also discourage social interaction, all of which may influence long-term brain health. They also point to research showing that gum disease may trigger inflammation that affects the brain.
The results highlight oral care as a potentially modifiable factor in dementia prevention. However, because both oral health and cognitive status were self-reported rather than clinically assessed, the findings may be subject to reporting errors. The study also cannot establish cause and effect, and further research is needed to determine whether oral health interventions can directly reduce the risk of dementia. Discover other lifestyle interventions that reduce dementia risk in Aliquot #82.