Associations Between Periodontal Health/Treatment and Cognitive Impairment: Latest Evidence From Epidemiological Studies

AbstractPurpose of ReviewWith the aging of the worldwide population, the social impact of cognitive impairment is increasing. Periodontal disease may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment. This review aimed to establish the latest evidence for associations between cognitive impairment and periodontal health/treatment published in the past 5  years.Recent FindingsElectronic searches were conducted in PubMed for literature published in English between January 2015 and September 2019. The selected 15 studies included 3 cross-sectional, 9 longitudinal, and 3 case-control studies. Most studies demonstrated a significant association between periodontal health and cognitive impairment. On the other hand, evidence for the effect of periodontal treatment was scarce.SummaryThe latest evidence suggests that prevention of periodontal disease may facilitate prevention of cognitive impairment; however, further interventional research should be conducted to obtain definite conclusions regarding the causal relationship between periodontal treatment and impaired cognition.
Source: Current Oral Health Reports - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research