"Elderly Patients Who Cannot Chew Food Well Have Increased Risk of Dementia"

Yonsei University College of Dentistry Professors Jae-guk Cha, Jin-young Park, and Kyung-ah Ko Team
Uncover Correlation Between Tooth Loss and Dementia Onset

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A study has found that elderly patients who have difficulty chewing food properly have a higher risk of developing dementia.

The research team led by Professors Cha Jae-guk, Park Jin-young, and Ko Kyung-ah from the Department of Periodontology at Yonsei University College of Dentistry announced on the 30th that elderly patients aged 60 and over who do not take restorative measures such as implants after tooth extraction and leave the gaps untreated experience a decline in chewing ability, which increases the risk of dementia.

It is known that a decline in the ability to chew food can reduce the brain's learning ability and memory. This is because food that is not properly broken down is not well absorbed by the body, and food particles trapped in the gums can rot, causing chronic periodontitis and potentially damaging the central nervous system. However, until now, the correlation between tooth loss and dementia onset had not been confirmed.

The research team investigated the correlation between tooth loss and dementia occurrence by dividing 488 patients aged 60 and over who received treatment at Yonsei University Dental Hospital from 2014 to 2020 into a dementia group (122 patients) and a control group (366 patients). These patients first visited the hospital between 2005 and 2010 and returned for follow-up visits; none had dementia at their initial visit.

To evaluate the chewing ability of the two groups, the team examined the number of lost teeth and the rate of restorative dental treatments. The results showed that the average number of lost teeth in the dementia group was 6.25, higher than the control group's 4.53.

The rate of leaving gaps untreated after tooth extraction was also higher in the dementia group. The untreated tooth loss rate was 56.5% in the dementia group, compared to 42.6% in the control group. In the control group without dementia, 77.5% of patients who lost teeth due to extraction or other reasons preserved their chewing ability by filling the gaps with implants or prosthetic treatments, which was higher than the dementia group’s 66.5%.

Professor Cha said, “As people age, it is easy to lose teeth naturally or through extraction, but leaving the gaps untreated makes it difficult to chew food properly,” adding, “Maintaining masticatory ability through implants and prosthetic treatments is important for preventing dementia.”

The findings of this study were published in the latest issue of the comprehensive medical journal Yonsei Medical Journal (YMJ), published by Yonsei University College of Medicine.

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