Gum disease and tooth loss are connected to a higher risk of early death in women past the age of menopause, a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds.
For older women, having a history of periodontal disease, a serious gum infection, presents a 12% higher risk of premature death from any cause, while loss of natural teeth is associated with a 17% higher risk, the researchers say.

Analysis showed that having a history of periodontal disease, which affects almost two-thirds of US adults over 60, was associated with a 12% higher risk of early death from any cause. Among women with gum disease, no differences were seen between the women who frequently visited their dentists and those who did not.

Loss of all natural teeth -- complete edentulism -- was associated with a 17% higher risk of early death from any cause. Compared to women with intact smiles, those with complete edentulism were older, less educated, visited their dentists less frequently and had more cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as family history, physical inactivity and poor diet.

The study did not establish a direct cause and effect in which gum disease or tooth loss is shown to cause an early death.

And, unlike some past studies, the new research did not even show a direct association between gum disease and cardiovascular disease.

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