Loss of teeth causes memory impairment

Loss of natural teeth reduces signals sent to the brain, affecting the function of human memory.

Research in 273 subjects aged 55 and over, the scientists found a relationship between the number of natural human teeth and the performance of memory tests. Accordingly, people with less teeth will have worse results.

Although the reason for the association is not completely clear, the new finding is consistent with many previous studies on animals and humans, showing that the presence of teeth naturally affects cognitive function. . Few teeth are considered a risk factor for memory problems in the elderly. The study is published in the European Journal of Oral Sciences.

Loss of teeth causes memory impairment.(Photo: Shutterstock)

According to the scientific team, when studying animals, mice that had lost their teeth often had problems with memory and learning ability, they lost many nerve cells, especially the hippocampus related brain region. to memory formation.

Teeth send signals to the brain through nerves that are responsible for sensation in the face, and control motor function, such as biting and chewing. Dentures are useful for eating, but they lack nerves and ligaments that attach teeth to the jaw, reducing the sense of input to the brain.

Gum infection can lead to tooth loss, causing inflammation, causing nerve cell death, impairing memory.

Researchers have taken into account other factors that affect memory such as the number of years of study, the type of occupation, and the course of use. The limitation of this study is the small number of participants.

Previous research with more than 4,000 people involved with controlling certain lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking alcohol also had similar results. People with little or no teeth do poor memory tests than those with multiple teeth. Research published in Behavioral and Brain Functions magazine in 2011.