Older adults who delay or forgo dental treatment because of financial barriers may face a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease and dementia later in life, 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 adults aged 55 and older participating in the All of Us cohort. Researchers tracked participants for an average of 5.3 years after they answered survey questions about whether they had unmet dental care needs due to cost.
Findings showed that participants reporting cost-related barriers to dental care experienced significantly higher rates of heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and dementia. After adjusting for demographic variables, hazard ratios were 1.45 for heart failure, 1.37 for heart attack, 1.45 for stroke, and 1.37 for dementia.
While the associations weakened after researchers further accounted for socioeconomic, behavioral, and clinical factors, the link remained notable. The study found no meaningful differences in outcomes based on gender, race or ethnicity, or periodontitis diagnosis.
Researchers estimated that removing financial barriers to dental care could potentially prevent 2% to 4% of these health outcomes among older adults.
“This study serves as an indicator that if we alleviate upstream factors such as financial constraints, we can prevent chronic disease,” senior author Kendra Sims, Ph.D., of Boston University School of Public Health, said in a statement.
The findings add to growing evidence that access to affordable dental care may play an important role in broader long-term health outcomes beyond oral health.
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