Older adults who delay or skip dental treatment due to cost may face a significantly increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and dementia, according to new research published in the April issue of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A.
The study, led by Mabeline Velez of the Boston University School of Public Health, analyzed data from 98,787 participants aged 55 and older enrolled in the All of Us cohort. Researchers followed individuals for an average of 5.3 years after they reported whether they had unmet dental care needs because of financial constraints.
Results showed that participants who experienced cost-related barriers to dental care had higher rates of several serious health outcomes, including heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and dementia. After adjusting for demographic factors, the hazard ratios were 1.45 for heart failure, 1.37 for heart attack, 1.45 for stroke, and 1.37 for dementia.
Although the associations became weaker after further adjustments for socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and clinical conditions, the overall relationship between lack of affordable dental care and adverse health outcomes remained notable. The study also found no significant differences in outcomes based on gender, race or ethnicity, or the presence of periodontitis.
Researchers estimated that eliminating financial barriers to dental care could potentially prevent between 2% and 4% of these health outcomes among older adults.
“These findings suggest that addressing upstream factors such as financial constraints could help reduce the burden of chronic disease,” said senior author Kendra Sims, Ph.D., of the Boston University School of Public Health.
The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that access to affordable dental care may play an important role in long-term health outcomes that extend beyond oral health alone.
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