At Smiles by Shields, we’re your Jacksonville FL dentist committed to your overall wellness and total body health. A new study links tooth loss, memory, and agility in interesting ways with implications for Jacksonville’s population of aging patients. For those who have none of their remaining natural teeth, the study finds that the adults have slower walking speeds and reduced cognitive function. Conversely, adults with some of their natural teeth perform much better in terms of walking speed and memory.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, looked at 3,166 adults aged 60 or over from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA) and compared their performance in tests of memory and walking speed. The results showed that the people with none of their own teeth performed approximately 10% worse in both memory and walking speed tests than the people with some of their own natural teeth.

If you’re concerned about aging and oral health, Dr. Tiffany Shields is happy to discuss the link between oral care and positive aging. Contact us today for your next appointment!

Reference:

University College London. (2015, January 1). “Link discovered between tooth loss and slowing mind and body.” Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/287280.php.