Associations between oral health measures and cognitive function in middle aged and older Indian adults

Given India’s rise in ageing population and emerging epidemiological evidence of the possible association between poor oral health and cognitive impairment, the present study examined associations between oral health measures and cognitive function using a cross-sectional dataset from Longitudinal Aging Study in India, 2017–2018. Analysis included 56,738 participants aged ≥ 45 years old. Self-reported physician-diagnosed oral health measures included loss of teeth (some or all), presence of painful teeth, ulcers, bleeding and swelling gums, loose teeth, dental cavities or caries, and soreness or cracks in the corners of the mouth. Cognitive function was assessed using a battery of neurocognitive tests across five domains: memory, orientation, arithmetic function, executive function, and object naming. Findings from multivariable regression models revealed that participants who lost all their teeth had lower cognition scores by 0.65 points [β= -0.65, 95% CI: -0.97, -0.33] than those who had not lost any teeth. An unexpected positive association was found between three or more oral conditions and cognitive performance [β = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.77] that needs further investigation. Findings suggest that oral health is associated with cognitive function and there is a need to promote policies targeted at improving the oral health infrastructure and health education.