Name of study: Older adults who are socially isolated are more likely to have missing teeth
By who and where: New York University, USA
What does it say?
✥ Older people who live in isolation have a greater chance of losing their teeth
✥This is because they are less engaged in health-promoting activities such as exercising, taking walks, staying mobile etc. This could negatively impact their oral hygiene and increase their risk for systemic inflammation.
✥ Losing teeth affects a person’s quality of life as it impacts their speech, self-esteem, and nutrition. On the other hand, improving social connections benefits the overall health, including oral health.
For
It is Obvious
Dr. Reshma Suresh
Reader, Amrita School of Dentistry, Kochi, Kerala
Social connections positively impact our happiness and health. In its absence, loneliness can wreak havoc. A lack of exercise deteriorates physical as well as oral health and there are more chances of loosing teeth. Maintenance of oral hygiene is also a part of an individual’s acceptance in society and isolation makes a person casual, careless or demotivated to take care of their oral health. Reaching out to loved ones, motivating older people to interact socially, along with promoting dental check-ups are the best ways to tackle this problem.
Against
No Scientific Justification
Dr. Suman Yadav Head, Dental Department, Healing Tree Hospital, Indrapuram, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
I disagree with this theory as there is no scientific justification or foundation to believe this. The oral health of a person is not determined by whether they are socially active or not, but is governed by the systemic condition of the person, and factors such as tobacco chewing habits, chronic smoking, cancer (ongoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy), chronic periodontitis, diabetes, heart disease and other such issues. Age also plays a part in deteriorating oral health.