Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Summary Review
  • Published:

Does periodontal disease elevate the risk of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment?

Evidence-Based Dentistry volume 22, pages 123–125 (2021)Cite this article

A Correction to this article was published on 25 March 2022

This article has been updated

Abstract

Data sources The electronic databases Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Data, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, from inception to September 2020, were searched to identify the eligible studies measuring the association between periodontal disease and Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment.

Study selection Cohort, cross-sectional and case-control studies, without any language restrictions, were selected by two reviewers independently.

Data extraction and synthesis Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two reviewers independently. Data was synthesised quantitatively with meta-analyses using a random or fixed-effects model, with P <0.1 considered statistically significant. Quality assessment of cohort and case-control studies was carried out using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) and quality assessment of cross-sectional studies was undertaken using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) tool. Heterogeneity of included studies was assessed with I2.

Results Thirteen studies, including five cross-sectional studies, five case-control studies, two retrospective cohort studies and one prospective cohort study were found to be eligible. Meta-analyses showed elevated risk for Alzheimer's disease (odds ratio = 1.78; random-effects model; significant heterogeneity) and mild cognitive impairment (odds ratio = 1.60; fixed-effects model; low heterogeneity) in patients with periodontal disease. One case-control study and all cohort studies had high quality, while four case-control studies had medium quality, as evaluated by the NOS. Among the cross-sectional studies evaluated by the AHRQ tool, only one had high quality, whereas other studies had medium quality.

Conclusions Within the limitations of the included studies, the authors concluded that periodontal disease is related to an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

References

  1. Hu X, Zhang J, Qiu Y, Liu Z. Periodontal disease and the risk of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychogeriatrics 2021; 21: 813-825.

  2. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. CASP Systematic Review Checklist. 2018. Available at https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists (accessed October 2021).

  3. Shea B J, Reeves B C, Wells G et al. AMSTAR 2: a critical appraisal tool for systematic reviews that include randomised or non-randomised studies of healthcare interventions, or both. Br Med J 2017; DOI: 10.1136/bmj.j4008.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Periodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Kunaal Dhingra

  2. Periodontology, Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Germany

    Wolf-Dieter Grimm

  3. Division of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Deformities, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Prabhat Kumar Chaudhari

  4. Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India

    Flora Verma

Authors
  1. Kunaal Dhingra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wolf-Dieter Grimm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Prabhat Kumar Chaudhari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Flora Verma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dhingra, K., Grimm, WD., Chaudhari, P. et al. Does periodontal disease elevate the risk of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment?. Evid Based Dent 22, 123–125 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-021-0214-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-021-0214-y

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links