Losing a tooth: it’s jarring, painful and inconvenient. However, a recent study suggests there may be even more serious repercussions to lost teeth than slightly diminished chomping abilities.
Memory loss, some scientists theorize, may actually be caused by tooth loss. The movement of our jaw and teeth create sensory impulses that send signals to the area of our brain that forms and recalls memories. The fewer the teeth, the fewer the signals.
A recent study, carried out by universities in Norway and Sweden and published by the European Journal of Oral Sciences involved 273 participants, aged 55 to 80. The participants averaged 22 teeth each, 10 fewer than the typical 32. Over 70% of the missing teeth were molars.
Participants faced a chain of memory tests assessing episodic memory, recall, recognition and semantic memory. When the results were gathered the authors wrote, "In line with the states hypothesis, the number of natural teeth was positively associated with performance on episodic memory, recall as well as recognition."
'Alone, number of natural teeth could account for 20 percent of the variance in episodic recall, 15 percent of the variance in episodic recognition, and 14 percent of the variance in semantic memory.'
The authors, located at Umea University and Stockholm University in Sweden, and the Institute of Clinical Dentistry in Tromsx, Norway also theorized that dental implants, although helpful in restoring sensory input, do not send as many signals to the brain as natural teeth.
Those without teeth also have reduced chewing ability and chewing increases the activity in various brain areas.
Another theory placed forth by the authors of the study was that people missing teeth may be more likely to avoid certain foods, leading to lower intakes of proteins, vitamins and calories.
Another study, conducted by the University of California, followed nearly 5500 elderly people over an 18-year period. The study concluded that those who brushed their teeth three times a day were 65 percent less likely to develop dementia than those who brushed their teeth less than once per day.
Additionally, scientists have found increased levels of gum disease-related bacteria in the mouths of those suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
