While severe deterioration of oral health is closely linked to cognitive dysfunction, the correlation does not necessarily mean there is a causal link, a study led by a research team at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University’s Department of Dentistry said.
More than 300,000 people in Taiwan have dementia, with 96 percent over the age of 65, Ministry of Health and Welfare data showed.
Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases, rather than an aging phenomenon, with Alzheimer’s a well-known form. In addition to memory loss, dementia can also affect cognitive functions, personality and behavior.
Photo: Taipei Times
“Oral-cognitive links” have been widely researched, but the associations between deteriorating oral health and the risks of dementia remain unclear, the study said.
A systematic review of 28 research papers on oral-cognitive links published in the past five years showed that most focused on the relationship that periodontal diseases and the oral microbiome have with Alzheimer’s disease, it said.
Abundant evidence supports the idea that serious oral health problems, such as severe periodontal disease and extensive tooth loss, are strongly correlated with cognitive dysfunction, it said.
However, Lin Chia-shu (林嘉澍), a professor in the department, said that there are wide discrepancies in the relationship between oral health and cognitive dysfunction, adding that the strong correlation does not necessarily mean causation.
For example, while tooth loss is related to dementia, wearing dentures does not necessarily prevent dementia and chewing more does not necessarily enhance cognitive function, Lin said.
The oral-cognitive links do not support the conclusion that regular teeth brushing can prevent dementia, he said, adding that further research would be required to establish such a claim.
No strong evidence has been presented to show that good oral health can prevent early-onset or mild dementia, he said.
The causal relationship might even be the reverse, he said.
As dementia progresses, people might develop serious oral problems as they lose the ability to care for themselves, including brushing their teeth and rinsing their mouth, Lin said.
Many people misunderstand the relationship between oral health and cognitive function, he said, adding that more attention should be paid to the issue while taking care of elderly people.
The study was published in this month’s edition of the Ageing Research Reviews journal.
Collaborators on the study include physician Chen Ta-chung (陳大中) in Taipei Veterans General Hospital’s Department of Stomatology; Fuh Jong-ling (傅中玲), director of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University’s Department of Neurology; the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm; and the University of Amsterdam’s Academic Center for Dentistry.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS