Link Between Gum Disease And Alzheimer’s

We know that oral hygiene correlates with many other areas of human health. Skip flossing and you’re putting yourself at risk for more than just a little plaque buildup. In fact researchers have found that there possibly exists a link between poor dental hygiene and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain Tissue Study

The study looked at brain tissue samples from the same number of dementia sufferers and non-dementia sufferers. Within the dementia group 40% showed some trace of the bacteria that causes gum disease, while this bacteria was completely absent in the group free of dementia. This means you are nearly twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s if you’ve had gum disease.

Symptoms Of Gum Disease

You may have gum disease if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Red, swollen or bleeding gums.

• Bad breath.

• Loose feeling teeth.

• Gum recession.

• Sore gums.

Because of the sample size of this study, scientists are not fully certain of the link between Alzheimer’s and gum disease. There’s also a chance that the link is causal, but in a different way. For instance it’s possible that Alzheimer’s is the cause of the bacteria’s presence, and not the other way around. Researchers plan to lead more extensive studies with larger sample sizes in the future.

Although the link between Alzheimer’s and gum disease is not yet concrete, there are many similar correlations between health problems and poor oral hygiene. Just to be on the safe side, take care of your teeth!

Call Dr. Bosse of Greenspoint Dental today and schedule an appointment!