J Korean Med Sci.  2013 Oct;28(10):1518-1521. 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.10.1518.

Tooth Loss May Predict Poor Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Adults without Dementia or Stroke: The PRESENT Project

• Park H
• Suk SH
• Cheong JS
• Lee HS
• Chang H
• Do SY
• Kang JS

• KMID: 1777691
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.10.1518

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a potential predictor of stroke and cognitive impairment. However, this association is unclear in adults aged 50 yr and above without a history of stroke or dementia. We evaluated the association between the number of teeth lost, indicating periodontal disease, and cognitive impairment in community-dwelling adults without any history of dementia or stroke. Dental examinations were performed on 438 adults older than 50 yr (315 females, mean age 63+/-7.8 yr; 123 males, mean age 61.5+/-8.5 yr) between January 2009 and December 2010. In the unadjusted analysis, odds ratios (OR) of cognitive impairment based on MMSE score were 2.46 (95% CI, 1.38-4.39) and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.57-4.64) for subjects who had lost 6-10 teeth and those who had lost more than 10 teeth, respectively, when compared with subjects who had lost 0-5 teeth. After adjusting for age, education level, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking, the relationship remained significant (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.08-3.69, P=0.027 for those with 6-10 teeth lost; OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.27-4.02, P=0.006 for those with more than 10 teeth lost). The number of teeth lost is correlated with cognitive impairment among community-dwelling adults aged 50 and above without any medical history of stroke or dementia.

Keyword

Oral Health; Tooth Loss; Cognitive Impairment; Dementia

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cognition Disorders/*diagnosis/etiology
Cohort Studies
Dementia/pathology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Odds Ratio
Periodontal Diseases/complications
Residence Characteristics
Stroke/pathology
*Tooth Loss

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Flow chart of the participants.

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