Social Isolation May Lead To Faster Tooth Loss In Older Adults

Older adults who are socially isolated are more likely to lose their teeth more quickly than those with more social interaction, says a new study.

Experts have been raising concerns about the negative health impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of improving digital connection. COVID-19 restrictions including stay-at-home orders, quarantine, and social distancing recommendations have exacerbated an already existing problem of social isolation and loneliness among older adults. Social isolation and loneliness have been associated with heart disease, mental health disorders, cognitive decline, and premature death.

Now, a new study led by researchers at New York University has found higher levels of social isolation in older adults associated with faster tooth loss.

In their paper published in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, the researchers underscored that maintaining and improving social connections may benefit the oral health of older adults.

Social isolation and tooth loss: How it is connected

Adults typically have 32 teeth, or 28 if wisdom teeth have been removed. Older adults in China aged 65 to 74 have fewer than 23 teeth on average and 4.5 per cent of this age group has lost all of their teeth, the researchers stated.

To understand the cause of tooth loss in older adults in China, the researchers analysed Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey data that included 4,268 adults aged 65 and up. While 27.5 per cent of the study participants were socially isolated, 26.5 per cent reported feeling lonely.

They found higher levels of social isolation among the older population associated with having fewer teeth and losing teeth more quickly over time, even when controlling for other factors such as oral hygiene, health status, smoking and drinking, and loneliness.

Those who were socially isolated had, on average, 2.1 fewer natural teeth and 1.4 times higher rate of losing their teeth than those with stronger social ties.

How being socially isolatedmay lead to tooth loss?

Older adults who are socially isolated tend to be less engaged in social and health-promoting behaviors like physical activity. This could negatively impact their overall functioning and oral hygiene, as well as increase their risk for systemic inflammation, explained study's senior author Bei Wu, Dean's Professor in Global Health at NYU Meyers.

But they found no association between loneliness and the rate of tooth loss in older adults.

Explaining on this, the study's first author Xiang Qi, a PhD student at NYU Meyers, stated that social isolation may lead to a lack of support that can affect health behaviors, but older adults who feel lonely may still have social networks that can help them to keep up healthy behaviors.

Both social isolation and tooth loss are global issues, and the findings highlight the importance of developing interventions to reduce social isolation among older adults.

Factors that can increase risk of tooth loss

Gum disease, smoking, lack of access to dental care, and chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease are other risk factors for tooth loss. The New York University researchers highlighted that those missing teeth can have a considerable impact on one's quality of life, affecting nutrition, speech, and self-esteem.