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As we get older, many of us are afraid we will developA form of dementia, especially if we have seen the disease affect our grandparents or other loved ones. But dementia is not anormal part of aging And it does not affect everyone once they get older, disease control and prevention centers (CDC). There is no unadden way to know if you will be one of the millions of adults to develop dementia, but there are risk factors you should be aware. And new research found that your oral health is one of the most important things to take into account. Read it to find out what risk factor for dementia you can simply spot by looking in your mouth.

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A new meta-analysis published on July 8 in theJournal of the American Medical Directors Association examined the link between Loss of teeth, cognitive impairment and dementia. Researchers analyzed 14 studies that included more than 34,000 participants and nearly 5,000 cases of cognitive impairment or dementia. According to the study, the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia has been increased among participants who had more teeth loss. The researchers found that the risk of being diagnosed with dementia was increased by 28% in adults with a loss of teeth, while the risk of cognitive degradation was 48% higher.

"Given the amazing number of people diagnosed by Alzheimer's disease and each year's dementia, and the possibility of improving oral health over the entire lifetime, it is important to better understand the link between poorOral health and cognitive decline, "Bei wu, PhD, the main author of the study and the Global Health Professor at Nyu Rory Meyers College of Swiricing, said in a statement.

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The researchers also found that the risk of cognitive impairment increases with all lost teeth, which they call a "dose-answer" association. According to the study, each additional missing tooth was associated with an increased risk of cognitive depreciation and 1.1% of a diagnostic risk of 1.1% dementia. Tooth-free participants did not have a risk of cognitive depreciation of 54% and a higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia, further cement the increased risk associated with each lost tooth.

"This" dose-response "relationship between the number of missing teeth and the risk of diminished cognitive function substantially reinforces the evidence linking the loss of teeth to cognitive impairment and provides certain evidence that the loss of teeth can predict the cognitive decline"Xiang Qi, a doctoral condition of Nyu Meyers, said in a declaration.

According to the study, the association between the loss of teeth and the cognitive decline was not significant in those who had dentries, however. The researchers found that the adult teeth were missing were more likely to develop cognitive impairment if they did not have dentures compared to those who had dental. This can suggest that "the treatment of opportune prostheses with prostheses can reduce the progression of cognitive decline related to the loss of teeth," the researchers explained in the study. On the one hand, prostheses help correct the problems that lack teeth lead to chewing, which has been associated with nutritional deficiencies and changes in the brain.

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This is not the first study to link the loss of teeth with cognitive decline. Previous studies have affected the association between the loss of teeth, the disease of the gum and dementia. According to the Mayo Clinic, the loss of teeth can be caused byUntreated gum disease, which can be the starting point for cognitive decline. A large-scale study of 2020 published in theAlzheimer's Disease Journal suggests that theThe risk comes from Porphyromonas Gingivalis, an oral bacterium that most often causes a gum disease. The researchers in this study revealed that the antibodies made to combat this bacterium and this gum disease can be associated with the development of a form of dementia,Alzheimer's disease.

Gum's disease and teeth loss are a widespread issue among the United States, especially for the elderly. According to the latest CDC data, more than 47% of adults aged 30 or older have a form of periodontal disease . But this increases to more than 70% with respect to adults aged 65 and over. In terms of teeth loss, the CDC reports that 26% of adults aged 65 and over eight teeth or less , while 1 out of 6 of these adults lost all their teeth. According to the agency, "poor seniors, have less than high school, or current cigarette smokers are more than three times more likely to have lost all their teeth".

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