Periodontitis and low cognitive performance: A population-based study.

AIM: To study the epidemiological association between periodontitis and low cognitive performance among older adults, within a representative sample of the U.S. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 2086 older adults (>/=60 years old), representative of 77.1 million people, were retrieved from the NHANES 2011-2014 database. Periodontitis cases were identified and classified according to the AAP/CDC criteria (mild, moderate, and severe). Cognitive function was assessed through the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD), the animal fluency test (AFT), the digit symbol substitution test (DSST), and the global cognition score. The lowest non-survey weighted quartile for each cognitive test was defined as low cognitive performance. Simple and multiple regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Moderate and severe periodontitis were significantly associated with a low DSST performance (OR = 1.66 and OR = 2.97, respectively). Each millimetre increase in mean CAL was associated with a lower AFT (OR = 1.44), DSST (OR = 1.86), and global cognition (OR = 1.50) performance. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study suggest the existence of an independent association between periodontitis and low cognitive performance among older adults (>/=60 years old).