Correlation between cognitive impairment and oral health in the elderly in Southern Italy: a cross-sectional study

Aim Cognitive impairment is a chronic disease characterized by a decline in memory, attention, learning, executive ability, and other cognitive functions that occurs with age. Specifically, the late-life cognitive decline ranges from normal, through mild cognitive impairment [MCI], to dementia as the most severe form. Older adults with cognitive impairment may present several related disorders, such as cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and oral diseases. On the other hand, studies suggested an association between oral health problems and the development of dementia. Therefore, the present multicenter observational cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the correlation between oral health and cognitive status in older adults. Methods We included patients aged 65 years or older. Anamnestic and demographic data, including sex and age, were collected. Oral health and cognitive status were evaluated by the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index [GOHAI] and the Trail Making Test, respectively. Results The predictive values of cognitive deterioration are represented by reduction of the vertical dimension [OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 0.52-4.89] reduction in muscle coordination [OR = 10.10; 95% CI: 2.87-39.80], Newton’s stomatitis [OR = 3.68; 95% CI: 1.14-13.15], reversal clenching [OR = 1.38; 95% Cl: 0.47-3.89], and GOHAI test [OR = 4.83; 95% CI: 1.47-16.52]. Conclusion In light of our results, oral health seemed to be associated with cognitive decline in older adults. This finding reinforces the importance of early identification and tailored management of oral care in older adults based on objective data; in particular, to better identify patients at high risk, guiding the prescription of preventive strategies to reduce the onset of oral diseases and optimizing resources.