By Alex Dagostino, DrBicuspid.com associate editor

October 10, 2022 — Oral health is linked to everything from Alzheimer’s disease to arthritis, but evidence of the association between the mouth and mortality is still lacking. Researchers analyzed the link between tooth loss and death in older adults in a recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Oral health issues accumulate later in life and negatively affect older adults. In the U.S., 93% of adults age 65 and older have had cavities in their permanent dentition, and around 20% have untreated dental caries. Another 64% are affected by periodontitis, which can ultimately lead to tooth loss and edentulism.

Oral health shares some common risk factors with mortality, making it difficult to isolate its net effect on the risk of mortality. Addressing the selection bias in older adults is vital to understanding the extent to which oral health and mortality are associated.

“A possible explanation is that individuals with tooth loss, especially edentulism, are more likely to suffer with malnutrition because of impaired masticatory function and limited food choices, leading to reduced function of the immune system and elevated mortality risk,” wrote the study authors, led by Dr. Jiao Yu of the University of Minnesota (Am J Prev Med, September 21, 2022).

Researchers accumulated data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that were linked to National Death Index mortality data. A total of 4,880 community-dwelling adults age 60 years and older were included in the data. Researchers analyzed subjects’ self-rated oral health status and objective clinical indicators, such as edentulism, periodontitis, and untreated caries.

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Tooth loss increases risk of death in older adults