According to a new study published in Behavioral and Brain Functions, seniors who lose their teeth may be at increased risk for dementia/ Alzheimer’s.
The study, conducted in Japan, included more than 4,000 participants who were 65 and older. All were given a dental examination and a psychiatric assessment. The researchers found that those participants with fewer or no teeth were significantly more likely to have experienced some memory loss or have early-stage Alzheimer’s disease than those who still had most of their natural teeth.
Dr. Nozomi Okamoto, the study’s principal investigator, explained that participants with symptoms of memory loss tended to report that they had visited the dentist rarely, if at all. As reported in a news release from the journal’s publisher, she also said that, “Infections in the gums that can lead to tooth loss may release inflammatory substances, which in turn will enhance the brain inflammation that cause neuronal death and hasten memory loss.”
Read more in an article from HealthDay News, published by MedicineNet » Tooth Loss May Be Linked to Memory Loss.
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