Dental health, nutritional status and recent-onset dementia in a Korean community population.
BACKGROUND
Dental health is an important determinant of nutritional status, but has not been investigated as a risk factor for dementia. This study aimed to investigate the association between number of teeth, use of dentures and recent-onset dementia.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional analysis nested within a prospective study of community dwelling elderly residents in two areas of Kwangju, South Korea. In a study of 686 community residents aged 65 or over without dementia followed over 2.4 years, measures of dental health were compared between those with and without dementia at follow-up.


RESULTS
Fewer teeth were significantly associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This association was strongest in participants without dentures. Strong associations were found between fewer teeth and indices of poor nutrition in this group, but these did not account for the association with dementia.


CONCLUSIONS
Having fewer teeth may be a marker of risk for dementia. This might be explained by specific nutritional deficits, or by other side effects of periodontal disease. Further prospective research is indicated.
Kim
Jae-Min
JM
Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea.
Stewart
Robert
R
Prince
Martin
M
Kim
Sung-Wan
SW
Yang
Su-Jin
SJ
Shin
Il-Seon
IS
Yoon
Jin-Sang
JS
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology*; D019554:Dental Restoration Wear; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000523:psychology*