Impact of tooth loss on walking speed decline over time in older adults: a population-based cohort study.
BACKGROUND
Tooth loss has been linked to poor health such as chronic diseases and mobility limitations. Prospective evidence on the association between tooth loss and walking speed decline is however lacking.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of tooth loss on walking speed over time and explore whether inflammation may account for this association.


METHODS
This study included 2695 persons aged 60 years and older, who were free from severe mobility limitation at baseline. Information on dental status was assessed through self-report during the nurse interview at baseline. Walking speed baseline and at 3- and 6-year follow-ups was assessed when participants walked at their usual pace. Covariates included age, sex, education, lifestyle-related factors, and chronic diseases. Blood samples were taken, and C-reactive protein (CRP) was tested.


RESULTS
At baseline, 389 (13.1 %) participants had partial tooth loss and 204 (6.9 %) had complete tooth loss. Mixed-effects models showed that tooth loss was associated with a greater decline in walking speed over time after adjustment for lifestyle-related factors and chronic diseases (p = 0.001 for interaction between time and tooth loss on walking speed decline); however, when further adjusting for inflammation (CRP), the association was attenuated and no longer significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Tooth loss was associated with an accelerated decline in walking speed in older adults. Inflammation may play a role in the association between tooth loss and walking speed decline.
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 9tr, SE113-30, Stockholm, Sweden. anna-karin.welmer@ki.se.|Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. anna-karin.welmer@ki.se.
Anna-Karin
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5819-8724
AK
Welmer
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 9tr, SE113-30, Stockholm, Sweden.
Debora
D
Rizzuto
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 9tr, SE113-30, Stockholm, Sweden.
Marti G
MG
Parker
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 9tr, SE113-30, Stockholm, Sweden.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Weili
W
Xu
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D013548:Sweden; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000150:complications*; D000072797:Walking Speed / Q000502:physiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
Aging; Chronic disease; Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K); Tooth loss; Walking speed
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