According to a new study, older women with chronic renal disease may end up losing so many teeth that it becomes difficult for them to eat and speak.
According to research published on Wednesday in the journal Menopause, postmenopausal women with kidney illness are almost 40% more likely to have fewer than 20 teeth, the bare minimum required to chew and talk properly.
Researchers found that this type of tooth loss is also linked to a higher risk of stroke and other systemic conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, and osteoporosis.
Leading the research team was Dr. Ki-Ho Chung, an associate professor at South Korea’s Chonnam National University School of Dentistry. “Our findings suggest that preventing and managing mineral and bone metabolism disorders in postmenopausal women with chronic kidney disease are crucial to prevent tooth loss,” the researchers concluded.
Background notes from researchers noted that the kidneys filter toxins and waste products from the blood, which is a vital function of the kidneys in maintaining health.
After menopause, kidney function often declines and is linked to a drop in female hormone levels in women who have had menopause.
Researchers examined the medical records of about 65,000 South Korean women between the ages of 40 and 79 for this study.
They discovered that a woman’s oral tooth count is related to her kidneys’ capacity to efficiently filter blood.
Adults have thirty-two permanent teeth, but women with kidney disease were more likely to have fewer than twenty, according to the study. This was especially true for women between the ages of 66 and 79.
Researchers found that mineral metabolism and bone health can both be greatly impacted by chronic kidney illness, and that these factors can both lead to tooth loss.
They also mentioned the possibility that kidney disease-related inflammation and decreased salivation could hasten tooth loss. While inflammation contributes to gum disease and poor bone health, salivation is essential for oral health.
“This study demonstrates the established connection between bone metabolism and chronic kidney disease,” The Menopause Society’s medical director, Dr. Stephanie Faubion, stated.
“In addition to careful efforts to preserve renal function, postmenopausal women with chronic kidney disease should pay greater attention to dental and bone health. In contrast, Faubion stated in a society news release that “good oral hygiene is important for women of all ages and that oral health is a window to overall health.”
