Engelsk titel: Oral health and cognitive function
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Författare:
Jacobsen, Nils
Email: n.j.jacobsen@niom.no
Språk: Nor
Antal referenser: 41
Dokumenttyp:
Översikt
UI-nummer: 16063914
Sammanfattning
Experiments using radial arm mazes show that mice and rats have difficulties finding food when
their chewing capability is disturbed after molar extraction. Observations of this kind have indicated
an association between mastication and cognition. Experimental evidence show increased blood
stream and neuronal activity in young individuals using chewing gum. Some experiments also
indicate that memory and other cognitive functions improve during chewing. Observations of this kind
have led to the concept that inferior mastication also may have an impact on the development of age
related dementia.
A series of epidemiological investigations confirm the association between loss of teeth and
dementia, although the causation is uncertain. Some researchers propose that loss of masticatory
stimulus may induce failures of neuronal activity. Others point to the fact that tooth loss is most often
caused by a bacterial disease such as periodontitis, causing infectious agents and inflammatory
host reactions to induce the microglia cells of brain tissue to reactions ending with neuronal death. At
present, the inflammation hypothesis has the most credibility in neurological and psychological
research. However, it is underlined that the association between oral disease and cognitive failure
among older people does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship, because many
circumstances related to dementia may cause poor oral health.