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Oral health, genetic susceptibility, and risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study of UK Biobank
Yunrui Liu, Xiang Qi, Ruotong Mona Liu, Zhijing Xu, Huabin Luo, Bei Wu. GeroScience, 2026-05-22
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Poor oral health and genetic susceptibility have each been linked to dementia risk, but their joint effects and subtype-specific associations remain unclear. To examine the independent and combined associations of oral health indicators and genetic susceptibility with incident dementia, we conducted a prospective cohort study using UK Biobank data. A total of 364,557 predominantly White European adults aged 38-73 years who were free of dementia at baseline (2006-2010) and had complete oral health and genetic data were followed for incident dementia through 2022. Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and interactions were evaluated. Over a median follow-up of 13.64 years, 7,553 participants developed all-cause dementia (ACD), including 3,277 Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 1,578 vascular dementia (VaD). Painful gums (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.12-1.42) and denture use (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.13-1.26) were associated with higher ACD risk, with comparable associations observed for AD and VaD. Toothache was associated with ACD (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11-1.39) and AD (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.01-1.45) but not VaD. Dementia risk increased with the number of oral conditions. Higher genetic risk was independently associated with dementia, and moderate additive interactions were observed between oral health and genetic risk. These findings suggest that poor oral health was independently associated with higher risks of ACD, AD, and VaD and may amplify dementia risk among genetically susceptible individuals. Oral health may represent a potentially modifiable factor associated with dementia risk, but its causal role in dementia prevention should be tested in mechanistic and interventional studies.
Key findings
- Painful gums (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.12-1.42) and denture use (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.13-1.26) were associated with higher ACD risk, with comparable associations observed for AD and VaD.
- Toothache was associated with ACD (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11-1.39) and AD (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.01-1.45) but not VaD.
- Higher genetic risk was independently associated with dementia, and moderate additive interactions were observed between oral health and genetic risk.
- These findings suggest that poor oral health was independently associated with higher risks of ACD, AD, and VaD and may amplify dementia risk among genetically susceptible individuals.
- Oral health may represent a potentially modifiable factor associated with dementia risk, but its causal role in dementia prevention should be tested in mechanistic and interventional studies.
Why it matters
In this UK Biobank cohort, painful gums, denture use and toothache were each linked to higher dementia risk, and risk rose with the number of oral conditions. The authors suggest poor oral health was independently linked to dementia, but the study does not test whether dental treatment prevents it.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants7,553
- Effect sizeHR 1.26; HR 1.20; HR 1.24
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 55 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 57 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (GeroScience) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | GeroScience: journal h-index 83 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 7,553 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Bei Wu holds only 2 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | New York University: institution h-index 1,612 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42168726) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 55 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 55 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 57 out of 100. |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Liu, Y., Qi, X., Liu, R. M., Xu, Z., Luo, H., & Wu, B. (2026). Oral health, genetic susceptibility, and risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study of UK Biobank. GeroScience. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-026-02316-6
Vancouver
Liu Y, Qi X, Liu RM, Xu Z, Luo H, Wu B. Oral health, genetic susceptibility, and risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study of UK Biobank. GeroScience. 2026. doi:10.1007/s11357-026-02316-6. PMID: 42168726.
BibTeX
@article{liu2026-42168726,
author = {Liu, Yunrui and Qi, Xiang and Liu, Ruotong Mona and Xu, Zhijing and Luo, Huabin and Wu, Bei},
title = {{Oral health, genetic susceptibility, and risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study of UK Biobank}},
journal = {GeroScience},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1007/s11357-026-02316-6},
pmid = {42168726},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-026-02316-6}
}
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