| Title: | Differential Associations of Oral Health with Early- and Late-Onset Dementia: A Prospective Analysis of the UK Biobank |
| Journal: | The Journals of Gerontology Series A |
| Published: | 11 Jul 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42434961/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glag179 |
Publication 20308
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poor oral health is a modifiable risk factor for dementia, but whether the associations differ by age at onset and are modified by genetic susceptibility remains unclear.</p>
METHODS: In this prospective cohort study of 364,231 dementia-free UK Biobank participants, we examined associations between oral health indicators and incident early- and late-onset dementia (EOD and LOD). Genetic susceptibility was assessed using polygenic risk score (PRS) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 status. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models evaluated independent and joint associations.</p>
RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 13.6 years, 359 participants developed EOD and 6,668 developed LOD. Oral health indicators were not consistently associated with EOD. In contrast, painful gums (hazard ratio [HR], 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.40), toothache (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33), denture use (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.12-1.25), and a higher number of oral health conditions (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.12) were consistently associated with increased LOD risk. Joint analyses demonstrated dose-response patterns for LOD, with the highest risks among individuals with both poor oral health and elevated genetic susceptibility.</p>
CONCLUSIONS: Poor oral health was associated primarily with LOD, particularly among individuals with elevated genetic susceptibility.</p>
6 Authors
- Yunrui Liu
- Xiang Qi
- Huabin Luo
- Ruotong Liu
- Zhijing Xu
- Bei Wu
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 378095 | Elucidating the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia Subtypes: A Multifaceted Study on the Biological Pathways and Social Determinants |
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