SynthesisJournal of advanced nursing2025
Association Between Oral Hygiene Behaviours and Cognitive Decline in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of advanced nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Committing to oral care support for older people living in long-term residential care settings: A theoretically informed scoping review of enablers and barriers influencing care staff behaviours.International journal of nursing studies advances · 2026Review
- Oral Health Status, Knowledge, Hygiene Behavior and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults in Shanghai, China.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Long-Term Association of Cardiovascular Risk Burden With Dementia Risk: The Role of Life-Course Confounders in an Analysis of Cumulative and Specific Factors.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2026Article
- Association Between Oral Frailty and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study.International dental journal · 2026Article
- Edentulism and risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease: A competing risk analysis by cognitive status.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2026Article
- Oral health conditions and domain-specific cognitive decline in older adults: evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging 2005-2024.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2026Article
- Divergent effects of oral health and genetic risk: competing risks of dementia and mortality.Innovation in aging · 2026Article
- Oral Hygiene Behavior Among Asylum Seekers and Refugees Using Health Beliefs Model: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of public health · 2026Article
- The Impact of Oral Health and Dental Services on the Prevalence of Subjective Cognitive Decline Among Middle-Aged and Older US Adults: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2022.Preventing chronic disease · 2025Article
- Insights from recruiting individuals with mild dementia and care partners for a multi-site oral hygiene intervention.Aging and health research · 2025Article
- The association between cognitive impairment and oral health or oral hygiene behaviors among multiethnic older adults in Western China: a cross-sectional multicenter study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Periodontal Health Status, Awareness, and Oral Hygiene Practices among Fixed and Removable Partial Denture Wearers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community DentistryArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
aimTo evaluate the association between oral hygiene behaviour and cognitive decline in adults. The outcomes include changes in global cognitive function, visual attention, task switching and the risk of dementia.
designWe conducted a systematic review following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of 11 databases and grey literature sources was conducted from inception to January 2024. We included interventional trials or cohort studies that investigated the effect of oral hygiene behaviours (e.g., toothbrushing, mouth washing, flossing, using toothpicks and cleaning dentures) on cognitive decline in adults.
methodsData extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed by two independent reviewers with expertise in conducting systematic reviews. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed with the I
resultsA total of eight studies (six intervention studies and two cohort studies) met inclusion criteria, including 261,772 participants. Follow-up periods ranged from 30 days to 48 months for interventions and 9 to 18 years for cohorts. Toothbrushing was associated with a significantly slower decline in global cognitive overtime. Toothbrushing in older adults with moderate/severe dementia could achieve significant changes in cognitive decline. There was no significant difference between the effectiveness of toothbrushing performed by professionals and caregivers. Other oral hygiene behaviours, including dental flossing, using mouthwash, using toothpicks and cleaning dentures, were not associated with the risk of dementia.
conclusionsToothbrushing is linked to a decreased risk of dementia and improved global cognitive function. Promoting toothbrushing at least twice daily may significantly reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. IMPACT: These findings highlight the urgent need for programmes that encourage daily toothbrushing, particularly in nursing home settings and among older adults with moderate-to-severe dementia.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.