Taking care of your oral health is important for both your smile and the rest of your body. Your mouth is the gateway to many of your bodily functions. For example, the food you chew is digested in your stomach, while the air you breathe fills your lungs, spreading oxygen throughout your bloodstream. But if good things pass through the mouth, bad things can pass through as well. Poor oral hygiene leads to the accumulation of bacteria and disease in the mouth. Not only does this impact your oral health, but the harmful bacteria may also spread from your mouth to the rest of your body! Recent research has found that the bacteria associated with gum disease are also present in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. These findings suggest that gum disease and Alzheimer’s may have some connection that needs to be explored!
But what does that mean for patients like you?
Understanding Gum Disease
Gum disease is a bacterial infection of the mouth that occurs in stages.
After eating, sugars and debris are left on our teeth and gums. Without cleaning them (via brushing and flossing), these sugars attract bacteria, forming a sticky film substance called plaque. If left untreated, plaque hardens into tartar, which is much more difficult to remove. Tartar creates an ideal environment for bacteria to grow and spread, irritating your gums and causing the first signs of gum disease.
In its early stages, gum disease takes the form of gingivitis. Symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen gums that bleed easily after brushing or flossing.
Fortunately, gingivitis is fully reversible through professional deep cleanings and proper oral hygiene routines. But, without early intervention, gingivitis will spread and worsen, eventually becoming periodontitis. This infection moves below your gum line to affect the soft tissues and bone that support your teeth.
As a defense mechanism, your immune system releases inflammatory chemicals. However, rather than stopping the infection, these chemicals erode your bone, causing permanent damage that may result in tooth loss.
While we can help you manage the symptoms of periodontitis and stop its spread, we cannot reverse its effects.
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects a patient’s memory, thinking, and behavior. Over time, the effects of the disorder worsen, impairing language, judgment, mood, and even movement.
Unfortunately, the exact cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown, despite years of research. However, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any progress in the field! Scientists have found important changes to the brain and chemistry of Alzheimer’s patients that, with further research, may uncover the root cause of their disease.
One such change is the abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain. These protein deposits, or more specifically, amyloid plaques, affect your neurons, which allow for communication to the brain.
Without the use of these neurons, they eventually die off, causing cognitive decline and active neurodegeneration.
While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, medications and supportive care help slow the disease’s progression and improve quality of life.
How Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s Interact
When your neurons are blocked, disrupting communication to your brain, the brain’s immune system reacts. Although, like gum disease, this defense mechanism ultimately causes more harm than good, as it remains in a constant state of activation. The brain ends up flooded with inflammatory chemicals that harm your neurons, accelerating the breakdown of brain cells. The more plaques that form, the more inflammation increases. The more inflammation in the brain, the faster cognitive decline occurs.
Recent research is now being done to assess gum disease as a potential trigger for the inflammation we see in Alzheimer’s. The same inflammatory molecules released by your immune system to fight gum disease can spread throughout your body, entering the bloodstream and potentially affecting your brain.
In some cases, researchers have even found gum disease bacteria inside the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s! This suggests there may be a link between gum infection and neurodegeneration! While there is still much research to do, it’s important to consider the potential effects of gum health on the rest of the body.
How To Protect Your Oral and Overall Health
While there is no definitive cause and effect here, your oral health may have an important impact on your cognitive well-being.
To keep your smile and your brain healthy, be sure to:
- Brush gently twice a day with a soft-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss regularly to reach the areas that a toothbrush can’t reach.
- Visit East Longmeadow Family Dental Center for your routine checkups twice a year to maintain your oral health with professional cleanings.
Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s: Keep Your Smile and Brain Healthy
Your mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body, so it’s important to take care of it. With these new potential links between gum disease and Alzheimer’s, it’s more important than ever to brush, floss, and watch out for early signs of gum disease. Taking care of your smile helps you take care of your overall well-being.
Book a free initial consultation to learn more about early gum disease prevention.
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