Older people who have lost their teeth appear to be at greater risk of losing their memory problems and of having problems with physical function. This finding means that losing teeth may be a warning sign that a person is at greater risk of physical and mental decline, but not that losing teeth causes that decline.
A British study studied the effect of tooth loss on physical and mental decline and involved 3,166 people aged 60 and older. These people were enrolled in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a British prospective study of people aged 50 and over. They were administered tests on their memory and physical function and again 10 years later. Memory was measured using a 10-word recall test. Physical function was assessed by measuring walking speed.
People who were missing all their teeth did about 10% worse on tests of memory and of walking speed than the people who had at least a few remaining teeth.
This link was strongest in people between ages 60 and 74 compared to those who were aged 75 or older, according to the study, conducted at University College London.
Socioeconomic factors such as education and income may be the link between tooth loss and the decline in physical and mental health, said Georgios Tsakos, professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London.
"Regardless of what is behind the link between tooth loss and decline in function, recognizing excessive tooth loss presents an opportunity for early identification of adults at higher risk of faster mental and physical decline later in their life. There are many factors likely to influence this decline, such as lifestyle and psychosocial factors, which are amenable to change," Tsakos said.
The study was reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.