Evaluation of Correlation between Cognitive Impairment and Tooth Loss- Research Protocol

Abstract

Introduction: Cognitive impairment has been linked with aging, neurobiological, psychological, and social factors. Studies have generally quoted “that older adults usually present with some form of cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment is a state representing the intermediate phase between normal aging dementia and is also termed predementia syndrome. Recent evidence also shows correlation between teeth loss and Alzheimer’s disease, which can cause cognitive impairment. Need of the Study: As there is very little research in the literature regarding the correlation of cognitive impairment with loss of teeth in dentistry, there is a need to check and evaluate the correlation. Thus, this study will assess the correlation between cognitive impairment and tooth loss using a MMSE. Aim: To evaluate the correlation between cognitive impairment and tooth loss using a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Materials and Methods: The current study is a cross-sectional observational study that will be conducted at Sharad Pawar dental college and the hospital. Following approval of the Ethical institutional Committee (IEC) and Ethical Approval No: DMIMS (DU)/IEC/2022/779. All the 300 participants between 30-60 years of age who visited the OPD of the Department of prosthodontics, will be included in the study. The inclusion criteria for this study are patients aged between 30-60 years with number tooth loss 2-4, 6-8, partially edentulous, and completely edentulous. Participants suffering from neurological disorders that may lead to cognitive impairments will be excluded from the study. Descriptive statistics will be performed for frequency percentage. Association will be tested using chi-square analysis to find the significance p-value.