title: The association between self-reported tooth loss and cognitive function in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study: an assessment of potential pathways.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several mechanisms may associate tooth loss and related oral inflammation with cognitive impairment. The authors studied the relationship between tooth loss and cognitive function.
  
  
  METHODS
  The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study is a national longitudinal study of more than 30,000 African American and white adults 45 years or older. Data for tooth loss, cognitive function and potential confounding variables were available for 9,853 participants at the time of analysis. The authors used incremental linear regression modeling to investigate the cross-sectional association between self-reported tooth loss and cognitive function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In unadjusted analysis (mean learning followed by recall; α level of significance of .05), the loss of six to 16 teeth and the loss of more than 16 teeth were associated with poorer cognitive function compared with the loss of no teeth. Attenuated associations persisted after the authors adjusted for demographic and systemic risk factors. The full model, which was adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES), revealed no association between tooth loss and cognitive function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tooth loss may be associated with cognitive function; however, this association is mediated by age and SES.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tooth loss due to periodontal disease may be a marker for low SES, and the interplay of these factors with advanced age may confer risk of having poorer cognitive function. Further studies are needed to clarify these associations.
authors: Institute of Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. dravis@uab.edu
authors: Jonathan C
authors: JC
authors: Matthews
authors: Zhiying
authors: Z
authors: You
authors: Virginia G
authors: VG
authors: Wadley
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Cushman
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Howard
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein