Diabetes and Tooth Misfortune can Demolish Mental Deterioration in Older People

A recent study found that older people with diabetes and tooth loss have lower cognitive function and a faster rate of cognitive decline.

Ageing and oral health were at the center of the study’s findings, which were published in a special issue of the Journal of Dental Research.

Bei Wu, vice dean for research at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, co-director of the NYU Aging Incubator, and lead author of the study, stated, “Our findings underscore the importance of dental care and diabetes management for older adults in reducing the devastating personal and societal costs of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias.”

Diabetes is known to be a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline. Changes in the brain are thought to be associated with a number of the hallmarks of diabetes, including high blood sugar, insulin resistance, inflammation, and heart disease.

A growing body of research has demonstrated a similar link between cognitive impairment and dementia and poor oral health, particularly gum disease and tooth loss. Like diabetes, irritation assumes a key part gum sickness, and these fiery cycles might add to mental degradation. Additionally, chewing can be difficult with painful gums and missing teeth, necessitating dietary adjustments that can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Another risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia is nutritional deficiency, which can also be exacerbated by impaired glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in diabetes.

“Poor oral health, diabetes, and cognitive decline are all connected, and we’re beginning to understand how they may influence and exacerbate one another,” said Wu.

Although diabetes and missing teeth are both risk factors for dementia, little research has looked at how these conditions affect cognitive decline. Wu and her colleagues used the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study to fill this gap. They looked at 12 years’ worth of longitudinal data from 2006 to 2018 to see how people’s cognitive abilities changed over time.

The specialists included 9,948 more established grown-ups who were assembled by age (65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85 and more established) in their examination. Memory and cognitive function were assessed every two years as part of the Health and Retirement Study, along with questions about tooth loss, diabetes, and other health and demographic factors. The older adults who had lost all of their teeth were of particular interest to the researchers in this analysis.

They discovered that older adults between the ages of 65 and 84 who also had complete tooth loss and diabetes had worse cognitive function than those who did not have either condition. Those aged 65 to 74 with diabetes alone experienced accelerated cognitive decline over time, as did those without teeth aged 65 to 84. However, those aged 65 to 74 with diabetes and complete tooth loss experienced the fastest rate of cognitive decline.

For adults 85 and older, there was no conclusive link between diabetes, tooth loss, and cognitive decline. This could be due to this age group having greater overall cognitive impairment, possibly being healthier (healthy people may be less likely to live into their 80s), or perhaps having more experience managing diabetes.

The researchers emphasize the importance of regular dental visits, adhering to diabetes treatment and self-care to control blood sugar levels, and cognitive screenings in primary care settings for older adults with poor oral health and diabetes.

“Access to dental care for older adults–especially those with diabetes–is critical, and health care providers should educate their patients about the connection between oral health and cognition,” said Wu.