Tooth loss may affect ability to carry out everyday tasks

Older adults with more natural teeth are better able to perform everyday tasks such as cooking a meal, making a telephone call or going shopping, according to researchers from UCL and the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. The study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society , analysed data from 5,631 adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) aged between 50 and 70. Previous studies have shown the link between tooth loss and reduced functional capacity but did not establish a causal link. In this study the research team wanted to investigate the causal effect of tooth loss on someone's ability to carry out daily activities. After considering factors such as participants' socioeconomic status and poor general health they still found there was an independent link between tooth loss and the ability to carry out everyday tasks. For the study, participants were asked how many natural teeth they had, with older adults usually having up to 32 natural teeth that are lost over time. Then, using data collected in 2014-2015, the researchers measured the effect of tooth loss on people's ability to carry out key instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).