Tooth Loss and Dementia

To keep dementia at bay, take care of your teeth. Researchers have found a possible link between tooth loss or having very few teeth- one to nine, to be exact- and the development of dementia later in life.

Dental records and brain function tests were analyzed over a period of 12 years of 144 nuns.

Among the nuns free of dementia at the first cognitive exam, those with no teeth or fewer than nine had a greater than two-fold increased risk of becoming demented later in life compared with those who had 10 or more teeth.

People who suffer from dementia are more likely than their cognitively intact counterparts to have poor oral health, largely due to neglected oral hygiene.

Common underlying conditions may simultaneously contribute to both tooth loss and brain damage, such as early life nutritional deficiencies, infections or chronic diseases.

Does poor oral health contribute to the development of dementia? The research team caution that it is not clear from the study whether the association is causal or casual. But if you want to play safe until a more definitive conclusion, keep your teeth clean!