Number of Teeth, Periodontitis in Older Adults Linked to Hippocampal Atrophy

THURSDAY, July 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For older adults, there is an interaction between number of teeth and periodontitis and the rate of left hippocampal atrophy, according to a study published online July 5 in Neurology.

Satoshi Yamaguchi, D.D.S., Ph.D., from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry in Sendai, Japan, and colleagues examined the longitudinal association between number of teeth present (NTP) and hippocampal atrophy dependent on the severity of periodontitis in a late middle-aged and older adult population (age 55 years and older, with no cognitive decline). A total of 172 participants had undergone brain magnetic resonance imaging and oral and systemic data collection twice at an interval of four years. Periodontitis was measured using the mean periodontal probing depth (PD).

The researchers found that for the annual symmetric percentage change (SPC) in the left hippocampus, the qualitative interaction between NTP and mean PD was significant. The regression coefficient of the NTP on annual SPC in the left hippocampus was significantly positive and significantly negative in the low- and high-level mean PD, respectively. In the linear mixed-effects model, similar results were obtained. In the higher mean PD group, the interaction of NTP and time was significant.

"These results highlight the importance of preserving the health of the teeth and not just retaining the teeth," Yamaguchi said in a statement. "Controlling the progression of gum disease through regular dental visits is crucial, and teeth with severe gum disease may need to be extracted and replaced with appropriate prosthetic devices."

Several authors disclosed ties to Omron Health Care Co. Ltd.; several pharmaceutical companies provided funding for the study.

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