47 - The Impact of Missing Teeth on Cognitive Decline

Abstract:

Objective:   Purpose of this systematic review was to identify research gaps in our current understanding of tooth loss and cognitive degeneration in individuals experiencing Alzheimer's dementia.  

Materials and

Methods: The authors used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guideline to search three bibliographic databases, including ProQuest, EBSCO, and PubMed for relevant studies published in English from January 2012 to August 2022. Initial and full-text screening, data abstraction, and study quality assessment was conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. 

Results: The search yielded 280 articles after removing duplicates; fifty-one studies were selected for detailed screening. The relationships between tooth loss with cognitive deterioration were not consistently reported. Thirty-two studies confirmed the association and concluded that tooth loss is a risk factor for cognitive decline, whereas 19 studies did not provide evidence to support this association. The contradictory findings are probably explained by (i) confounders factors used in their models (e.g., Covid-19, renal disease, diabetes, heart disease), (ii)   different study samples (e.g., small convenient sample) and (iii) statistical methods (e.g., cross sectional study, randomized clinical trials). More importantly, concurrent effect of tooth loss and another systemic condition have been rarely studied using longitudinal data. 

Conclusions: The data on association between missing teeth and cognitive degeneration are inconclusive. Future research is warranted on association between tooth loss and cognition among older adults, especially those having concurrent systemic conditions using longitudinal data.

Source of Funding: University of Central Florida