Journal List > J Korean Acad Oral Health > v.41(2) > 1057767

Shin, Cho, Choi, and Song: Evaluation of relationship between cognitive function and occlusal status in elderly individuals using the T-scan III® system

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive function and occlusal status in elderly individuals.

Methods

A total of 162 individuals aged 65 years and older, who attended the senior citizen center in Daegu city, were included after consent for participation in the study was obtained. The Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) was used to evaluate the level of cognitive function. Occlusal status was determined using the T-scan III® system. All collected data were analyzed by χ2 test, t-test, one way ANOVA, and linear regression analysis using SPSS version 23.0 for Windows.

Results

There was a significant relationship between the cognitive function and the use of dentures. Individuals with posterior occlusal status had higher MMSE-K scores than those with anterior occlusal status. There was a positive correlation between the cognitive function and posterior occlusal force.

Conclusions

These results suggest that occlusal status was associated with cognitive function in the elderly individuals. Active national policies to improve occlusal condition in the elderly population are needed.

References

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Table 1.
Characteristics of the study subjects
Variables N (%)
Age
≤80 84 (51.9)
>80 78 (48.1)
Gender
Male 11 (6.8)
Female 151 (93.2)
Education
≤Elementary school 148 (91.4)
Middle school 6 (3.7)
≥High school 8 (4.9)
Living arrangement
With family 83 (51.2)
Alone 79 (48.8)
Denture use
Yes 103 (63.6)
No 59 (36.4)
MMSE
≤24 83 (51.2)
>25 79 (48.8)
Occlusion balance I
Left side 75 (46.3)
Right side 87 (53.7)
Occlusion balance II
Anterior 103 (63.6)
Posterior 59 (36.4)
Occlusion time (sec)
<0.3 107 (66.0)
≥0.3 55 (34.0)

OT (Occlusion time): Description applied to how quickly a patient closes their teeth together.

Table 2.
Occlusional status of participants according to MMSE-K
MMSE
Total score (n=162)
P-value* ≤24 (n=83)
>25 (n=79)
P-value**
Mean±SD N (%) N (%)
Age
≤80 24.25±4.29 0.052 38 (23.5) 46 (28.4) 0.077
>80 22.92±4.33 45 (27.8) 33 (20.4)
Gender
Male 25.91±3.83 0.069 2 (1.2) 9 (5.6) 0.023
Female 23.44±4.35 81 (50.0) 70 (43.2)
Education
≤Elementary school 23.34±4.36a 0.033 81 (50.0) 67 (41.4) 0.015
Middle school 26.67±2.25b 1 (0.6) 5 (3.1)
≥High school 26.38±3.74b 1 (0.6) 7 (4.3)
Living arrangement
With family 23.11±4.63 0.132 47 (29.0) 36 (22.2) 0.106
Alone 24.14±4.00 36 (22.2) 43 (26.5)
Denture use
Yes 23.07±4.60 0.035 59 (36.4) 44 (27.2) 0.031
No 24.56±3.73 24 (14.8) 35 (21.6)
Occlusion balance I
Left side 23.61±4.40 0.995 42 (25.9) 42 (25.3) 0.166
Right side 23.61±4.34 33 (20.4) 46 (28.4)
Occlusion balance II
Anterior 23.04±4.72 0.026 56 (34.6) 47 (29.0) 0.186
Posterior 24.61±3.42 27 (16.7) 32 (19.8)
Occlusion time
<0.3 23.73±4.35 0.632 53 (32.7) 54 (33.3) 0.331
≥0.3 23.38±4.38 30 (18.5) 25 (15.4)

*one-way ANOVA or t-test. **Chi-square test.

Table 3.
Demographic distribution according to occlusional status
Occlusion
Left side
Right side
P-value Anterior
Posterior
P-value**
N (%) N (%) N (%) N (%)
Age
≤80 42 (25.9) 42 (25.9) 0.205 51 (31.5) 33 (20.4) 0.267
>80 33 (20.4) 45 (27.8) 52 (32.1) 26 (16.0)
Gender
Male 4 (2.5) 7 (4.3) 0.358 8 (4.9) 3 (1.9) 0.381
Female 71 (43.8) 80 (49.4) 95 (58.6) 56 (34.6)
Education
≤Elementary school 70 (43.2) 78 (48.1) 0.094 94 (58.0) 54 (33.3) 0.986
Middle school 4 (2.5) 2 (1.2) 4 (2.5) 2 (1.2)
≥High school 1 (0.6) 7 (4.3) 5 (3.1) 3 (1.9)
Living arrangement
With family 36 (22.2) 47 (29.0) 0.071 14 (8.6) 16 (9.9) 0.186
Alone 39 (24.1) 40 (24.7) 54 (33.3) 25 (15.4)
Denture use
Yes 44 (27.2) 59 (36.4) 0.148 75 (46.3) 28 (17.3) 0.001
No 31 (19.1) 28 (17.3) 28 (17.3) 31 (19.1)

**Chi-square test.

Table 4.
Liner regression analysis of posterior occlusion and MMES
Model I
Model II
Model III
B b P-value* B b P-value* B b P-value*
Posterior occlusion 0.020 0.211 0.007 0.021 0.216 0.005 0.023 0.238 0.003
Gender ―2.694 ―0.156 0.041 ―2.133 ―0.124 0.107
Age ―1.367 ―0.157 0.040 ―1.496 ―0.172 0.023
Education 1.642 0.176 0.024
Living arrangement 1.401 0.161 0.034
Denture use ―0.499 ―0.055 0.478

*Linear regression. Model I: Unadjusted model. Model II: Age+gender adjusted model. Model III: Age, gender, education, living arrangement, dentuer use adjusted model.

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