Japanese Kyushu University Researchers Analyze Data from the Past 3 Years
Dementia Symptoms 1.34 Times Higher Without Molar Occlusion
1.54 Times Higher Without Any Occlusion Including Front Teeth
A study has found that the risk of developing dementia increases if one does not have molars.
On the 10th, Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported the results of an analysis conducted by a research team from Kyushu University (led by Professor Yasunori Ayukawa) on health-related data from local governments, specifically medical billing records from April 2017 to March 2020. The researchers compared the number of molars and the timing of Alzheimer's-type dementia diagnosis in about 22,000 people aged 65 and older. They found that individuals without molar occlusion had a 1.34 times higher incidence of dementia symptoms compared to those with complete molar occlusion. Those without any occlusion, including front teeth, showed a 1.54 times higher incidence.
Professor Ayukawa stated, "The ability to chew food finely is reduced by half when one molar is lost, and overall denture use decreases this ability to about 30% of normal." Mainichi noted, "This study does not establish a causal relationship between molar loss and dementia progression," but reported that Professor Ayukawa believes that molar loss leads to ▲reduced cerebral blood flow ▲deterioration of nutritional status ▲decline in social activities due to difficulties in conversation or loss of confidence, thereby increasing the risk of dementia progression." These research findings were published in a specialized journal on Alzheimer's disease in January.
Professor Ayukawa told Mainichi, "It is important to cherish your teeth through regular check-ups and oral care, and if teeth are lost, occlusion should be restored with dentures or implants." Japan is projected to have 5.84 million elderly dementia patients by 2040.
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