title: Relationship of tooth loss to mild memory impairment and cognitive impairment: findings from the Fujiwara-kyo study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between the number of remaining teeth to mild memory impairment (MMI), which is a preclinical stage of dementia, and to cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were aged 65 years or older and were grouped according to their score for the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the three-word delayed recall test in the MMSE, and the Geriatric Depression Scale into the control group (n = 3,696), the MMI group (n = 121), and the low MMSE score (23 or lower) group (n = 214). We collected data on the number of remaining teeth, the length of the edentulous period, health-related lifestyle, medical history, blood pressure, height, and body weight. Fasting venous blood samples were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusted for depressive symptoms, age, sex, length of education, and other explanatory variables, revealed that the odds ratios of 0-10 remaining teeth to 22-32 remaining teeth were 1.679 (95% CI 1.073-2.627) for MMI and 2.177 (95% CI 1.510-3.140) for a low MMSE score. A significant relationship was also found between the length of the edentulous period and the risk of a low MMSE score (odds ratio 3.102, 95% CI 1.432-6.720) (15 years or more/less than 15 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that tooth loss is associated with cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Nara Medical University, Japan. onozomi@naramed-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Habu
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomioka
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Motokazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagi
authors.forename: Nobuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurumatani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale / Q000592:standards; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*