Older adults who have lost teeth but do not wear dentures may be at an increased risk for hypertension, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Dental Medicine.
Researchers found that among adults with fewer than 20 teeth, those who did not wear dentures had a significantly higher sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio — a known indicator of hypertension risk. In contrast, this elevated ratio was not observed in denture users with similar tooth loss.
“These findings highlight the importance of promoting denture use in older adults with few remaining teeth to maintain their Na/K balance,” the Japanese study concluded.
The research was part of the Shimane Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE) study conducted between 2016 and 2018 in Okinoshima Town, Japan. In 2016, 842 older adults participated in health examinations, with 502 of them re-evaluated in 2018. Sodium and potassium levels were measured using spot urine tests, a less invasive method often used in large-scale health screenings.
While poor oral health is known to affect nutrient intake, few studies have examined the specific link between oral conditions and sodium and potassium levels.
“Potential mechanisms that could elucidate the association between tooth loss and alterations in the Na/K ratio have been put forth,” the researchers said. “The masticatory function in older adults possessing fewer than 20 residual teeth is reportedly inferior compared to their counterparts with a greater number of teeth.”
You can also read: Improving Patient Health, Comfort and Satisfaction with Dentures
Maintaining a healthy Na/K balance
Maintaining a healthy Na/K balance through diet is important in preventing hypertension and other chronic diseases, and the researchers suggested that addressing oral health may play a role in this.
They also called for further studies to explore how factors such as education level and social isolation may influence these outcomes.
“Future research should include large-scale observational studies as well as randomized controlled trials to investigate whether the use of dentures can improve dietary habits — such as increasing vegetable intake — and thereby help maintain a favourable Na/K ratio,” the study said.
Previous study on dentures
This builds on earlier findings that suggest dentures may support other aspects of health in older adults.
For more read this: Dentures may shield older adults from cognitive decline, study shows
In December 2023, researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing reported that wearing dentures may also protect against cognitive decline. Analyzing nearly 10 years of data from 27,708 older adults in China, they found that those with partial tooth loss who wore dentures had better baseline cognitive function and experienced slower mental decline than those without dentures.
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