A Lack of Teeth May Take a Bite Out of Your Memory

iStock/Thinkstock(LONDON) — Does the number of teeth in a person’s mouth have any link to decreases in their memory and walking ability?

A new study by researchers at University College London suggests that total tooth loss could provide an early warning of increased risk of physical and mental decline in older people.

In a study of more than 3,100 participants 60 and older, participants with no teeth did about 10 percent worse on tests of memory and of walking speed than those with at least some choppers.

The connection between total tooth loss and mental and physical problems was strongest in participants aged 60 to 74 years old compared to those 75 and older.

The study’s authors note that socioeconomic factors, such as education and income, may be the common links between tooth loss and poor physical and mental health.

The authors point out that the findings don’t prove that tooth loss causes the physical or mental decline.

“Regardless of what is behind the link between tooth loss and decline in function, recognizing excessive tooth loss presents an opportunity for early identification of adults at higher risk of faster mental and physical decline later in their life,” notes study lead author Georgios Tsakos, professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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