Researchers at the University of California (USA) monitored and analyzed the health status of nearly 5,500 elderly people for 18 years.They found that people who brushed their teeth less than once a day had a 65% higher risk of dementia than those who brushed their teeth regularly.

Illness due to brushing teeth less than once a day

Previous studies have shown a link between inflammation caused by the bacteria that cause gum disease and dangerous diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

According to Dr. Annlia Paganini-Hill, the study's lead author, other studies have found that the brains of patients with Alzheimer's (the most common form of dementia) have much higher levels of bacteria that cause gum disease than those without the disease. Scientists believe that bacteria that cause gum disease have invaded the brain, causing inflammation and damage to the brain.

In the new study, researchers followed the health of 5,468 California retirees between 1992 and 2010. The majority of participants were white, highly educated, and relatively well-off. They were between 52 and 105 years old at the start of the study, free of dementia, and were an average age of 81 at the end.

Members were asked to answer questions regarding their oral health habits, dental condition, and number of teeth (whether they had dentures or not).

After 18 years, their health status was analyzed using information from interviews, medical records and death certificates. The results showed that 1,145 people were diagnosed with dementia.

Among the 78 women who brushed their teeth less than once a day, 21% developed dementia symptoms, a rate of 1 in 3.7 people. Meanwhile, among those who brushed their teeth at least once a day, the rate was 1 in 4.5 people.

For men, the rate of disease in the group that did not brush their teeth regularly was 22% higher than in the group that brushed their teeth every day.

Should wear dentures when teeth fall out?

In particular, men who did not use dentures were twice as likely to develop dementia as those who wore full dentures or single dentures. However, this link was not as clear in women.

According to Paginini-Hill, the difference between the two groups of men and women in this case may be because women are more likely to wear dentures and also visit the dentist more often.

From there, she recommends that everyone should invest time in oral health care to prevent tooth loss and oral diseases. If you have lost teeth, you should wear dentures.

However, research cannot definitively confirm that poor oral health can cause dementia.

Tooth loss is not necessarily related to gum disease, according to Dr. Amber Watts of the University of Kansas (USA), who was not involved in the study. Head trauma and malnutrition are also important causes of tooth loss in adults and also increase the risk of dementia.

According to Knowledge-NT