Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39436038›Full record

SynthesisCommunity dentistry and oral epidemiology2025

Social Relationships and Tooth Loss in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Eiko Yoshida-Kohno, Kenji Fueki, Amal A Wanigatunga, Thomas K M Cudjoe, Jun Aida

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Community dentistry and oral epidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Eiko Yoshida-KohnoResearch Development Center, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Kenji FuekiDepartment of Masticatory Function and Health Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Amal A WanigatungaDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Thomas K M CudjoeCenter on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University and Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Jun AidaDepartment of Dental Public Health, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

Identifying and Addressing Social Isolation among Older Adults Living in Subsidized HousingK23AG075191 · NIA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Thomas Kofi Mensah Cudjoe · 2022 to 2026
$992k
The START trial: a proof-of-concept sedentary reduction program for prefrail older adultsK01AG076967 · NIA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Amal Asiri Wanigatunga · 2022 to 2026
$651k
Japan Society for the Promotion of ScienceNIA NIH HHS K01 AG076967NIA NIH HHS K23 AG075191
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo systematically assess current evidence on the extent to which social relationships are associated with tooth loss in adults aged 60 years and older.

methodsA systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies published from 1966 up to March 2024. Cross-sectional or cohort studies investigating the association between structural, functional and/or combined (structural and functional) components of social relationships and the number of remaining teeth or edentulism among community-dwelling or institutionalised older adults were included. Data were extracted on participants' and study characteristics, including study design, the type of measures used to assess social relationships (structural, functional, and combined), outcome measures and association estimates. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies and the adapted NOS for cross-sectional studies. The reported association between social relationships and the number of remaining teeth or edentulism was summarised using meta-analysis with robust variance estimation.

resultsTwenty studies were included in the review and 12 studies (125 553 participants) in the meta-analysis. Across the 12 studies, the average odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.15 (1.01-1.32), indicating a 15% higher likelihood of having a lower number of teeth or edentulism for those with weaker social relationships. The GRADE certainty of the body of evidence was low.

conclusionsWeak social relationships were associated with a lower number of teeth or edentulism in older adults. Our findings may inform potential public health approaches that target and modify social relationships to prevent and address older adults' oral diseases. Still, the directionality and the underlying mechanisms connecting social relationships and tooth loss need to be further explored by longitudinal studies with follow-up long enough for oral health outcomes or changes in social relationships to occur.

trial registrationProtocol Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023417845).

Indexed as

Interpersonal RelationsTooth LossAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle Agedolder adultssocial networksocial supportsystematic reviewtooth loss

Identifiers

PMID39436038
PMCPMC12223411

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

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.