Lose a tooth, lose your mind? (Scary!)

It’s no secret that cognitive decline remains one of the toughest challenges facing modern medicine today.  

The driving causes behind Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia have been notoriously difficult to pin down. And even Big Pharma—an industry that never fails to innovate whenever there’s money to be made—has come up short on solutions. 

That’s why my discussions on this subject almost always focus on prevention. Because while a cure for cognitive decline may still be far away, we already know plenty about how to reduce the risk. 

Some of these strategies—like exercise and proper diet—are obvious. But others might come as a surprise. Including the one I want to discuss with you today… 

Surprising risks of tooth loss 

A new study shows that tooth loss is risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia—and that the threat grows with every additional lost tooth. 

A team of New York University (NYU) researchers analyzed 14 different studies, featuring more than 34,000 adults, to investigate the connection between tooth loss and cognitive impairment. And their findings should come as a wakeup call to anyone who’s been putting off a trip to the dentist.  

Specifically, adults with more lost teeth had 1.48 times higher risk of developing cognitive impairment. And a 1.28 times higher risk of a dementia diagnosis. This was even after accounting for other potential factors. 

Plus, for each additional missing tooth, there was a 1.5 percent higher risk of cognitive impairment. And a 1.1 percent higher risk of a dementia diagnosis.  

But there’s also some good news here: Having dentures appeared to reverse risk of cognitive impairment in adults with missing teeth. This suggests that proper treatment of tooth loss could make a world of difference, too.  

Protect your mouth 

Of course, tooth loss is an incredibly common problem—statistics show that about one in six adults over the age of 65 years have lost all of their teeth.  

So the fact that it’s associated with cognitive decline is concerning, even if we don’t know for sure what role it plays. (Not to mention, poor oral health can contribute to nutritional deficiencies and chronic inflammation.) 

Either way, the message is clear: If you don’t take care of your mouth, your memory is liable to suffer.  

And as I just mentioned, it’s far from the only aspect of your health on the line. In fact, I devoted an entire article to the dangers of gum disease—including how to keep your own oral health safely on track—back in the January 2021 issue of my monthly newsletter Logical Health Alternatives (“The one routine appointment you simply cannot afford to skip”). 

Subscribers have access to that issue and a whole lot more in my archives. So if you haven’t yet, what are you waiting for? Sign up today.    

P.S. This Sunday, July 25 at 3:00 p.m. (EDT), I’ll be hosting my Ultimate Heart Summit. During this exclusive event, I’ll reveal how you can naturally fight against some of America’s biggest killers—like high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Access is free, but space is limited. Click here to reserve your spot today!