Dose-response meta-analysis of tooth loss associated with risk of cognitive impairment and dementia

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2021.05.009

Commentary

The purpose of this study was to quantify the dose-response relationship between tooth loss and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Community, institutional, outpatient, or in-hospital adults were included in the meta analysis, and cognitive impairment and dementia were defined by neuropsychological testing, diagnostic criteria, or medical records. In addition, tooth loss was assessed by self-report or clinical examination.

As a result, 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis, including 34,074 participants and 4689 cases of cognitive decline.

These showed that participants with more tooth loss had a 1.48-fold higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and a 1.28-fold higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia. However, the association was not significant for participants who used dentures.

Moderate quality evidence suggested that tooth loss was independently associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. As tooth loss increased, the risk of cognitive decline increased, but timely prosthetic treatment with dentures may reduce the progression of cognitive decline associated with tooth loss.