Denture use could be linked to cognitive decline
Investigators have examined the rate of cognitive decline among older adults who use dentures.
In a study published in Aging Medicine, the investigators used 2008 to 2018 data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey and Mini-Mental State Examination to evaluate the cognitive outcomes of 27,708 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older who were dentate or edentulous.
Dentate participants who used dentures were found to have greater cognitive function at baseline and slower cognitive decline per year compared with those who didn’t use dentures. Although edentulous participants who used dentures also had greater cognitive function at baseline compared with those who didn’t use dentures, denture use was not associated with a slower rate of annual cognitive decline. The results were found to be consistent regardless of the degree of tooth loss.
The findings suggested that denture use may be effective at managing cognitive decline among those with partial tooth loss and highlighted the potential benefit of prosthodontic rehabilitation in this patient population.
Read more: Aging Medicine
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