14 DAY TRIAL // As surprising as this may sound, it appears that there is some kind of connection between the number of teeth still residing in your average Joe or Jane's mouth and their ability to move swiftly and remember things.
Thus, in a recent report published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, scientists say that, having carried out a series of experiments, they found that, the more teeth an individual loses, the slower their mind and their body get.
They even have some evidence to support their claims
EurekAlert tells us that, as part of this study into how loss of teeth correlates with mental and physical health, researchers assessed the overall condition of as many as 3,166 volunteers. Of the people who took part in this investigation, all were at least 60 years old.
To documented how losing one's teeth stands to influence psychological and physical health, the scientists first took the time to research how many of the 3,166 volunteers still had their natural chompers and how many relied on, well, immigrants.
They then had the participants to the study undergo a series of tests meant to test their memory and their walking abilities. When all was said and done, the specialists compiled and analyzed the data concerning teeth loss and overall wellbeing.
It was thus discovered that, when compared to the volunteers who still packed all their natural teeth, those who no longer had any of their original chompers performed roughly 10% worse in the memory and walking speed tests they were subjected to.
Adjusting for factors that could have influenced this outcome
What's interesting is that, as explained in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the find that loss of teeth correlates with having a slower mind and a slower body held true even when the researchers took into account several factors that might have influenced the outcome of this investigation.
More precisely, it appears that health problems, health behavior, depression, smoking and drinking habits, and even socioeconomic status aside, folks who one way or another lose all their natural teeth are in fact more likely to have trouble remembering things and being as fit as they were in their younger years.
Commenting on the importance of this study and its outcome, Dr Georgios Tsakos wished to point out that “Tooth loss could be used as an early marker of mental and physical decline in older age, particularly among 60-74 year-olds.”
“Regardless of what is behind the link between tooth loss and decline in function, recognizing excessive tooth loss presents an opportunity for early identification of adults at higher risk of faster mental and physical decline later in their life,” the specialist added.
