Alzheimer's & Gum Disease

 Don't Forget to Brush

 

When someone close to you has Alzheimer's disease, the last thing you may be worried about is if they are remembering their oral hygiene.  However, remembering to brush may be MORE important earlier in life before the onset of Alzheimer's.  A new study reveals bacteria linked to gum disease travels to the brain of those with Alzheimer's.  Dental hygiene and periodontal disease may play a role in the development of memory loss illnesses.  (Quick, it is not too late to come see Periodontal Associates in Aurora, CO for your cleaning.  Better late than never to see our gum specialists, Dr. Versman, Dr. Heller, and Dr. Beckman.)

"The results are very encouraging," said Crean, the dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Central Lancashire in England.   The University was able to financially support the study between dementia and gum disease.  Brain tissues were analyzed from 10 Alzheimer's patients and 10 patients of similar age with no signs of dementia or the disease. Within 10 samples of those with the disease, 4 samples showed signs of the bacterium known as Pophyromonas gingivalis.  However, no signs of gum disease bacteria were present in the non-memory impaired brain tissues.

The findings of this research support the idea that bacteria entering the mouth have access to enter the bloodstream, and once in the bloodstream, bacteria has access to just about any body part, including the brain.  As time progresses, the slow build up on this bacteria and the chemicals it releases may donate to the development of Alzheimer's disease.  Crean insists, "We've shown an association, not causation.  It does nothing more than to prove that these bacteria do get to the brain."  Entrance to the body's main transportation center or blood stream is especially accessible in those with severe periodontal disease with deep pockets and bleeding gums.  Even those with healthy gum tissues allow blood stream access when chewing.  Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman are always stressing this importance to their patience about the mouth and body connection.
 
The association is close enough to keep Periodontal Associates' staff reaching for the floss, and Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman hope it does the same for you, too!  Brushing and flossing can allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream; however, the consistent habit of good oral hygiene cleans the teeth and gums to significantly lessen the number of bacteria. "The issue is to reduce the bacterial load that occupies our gum tissues, to reduce the bacterial assault if and when it happens," Crean said.
 
Unsure how to keep bacteria at bay?  A good start is coming to see Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman.  Cleanings and exams are recommended every six months; however, for those patients with periodontal disease, we recommend seeing them every three months to clean out deep pockets and allow for better tissue reattachment.   Periodontal Associates is an office dedicated to not only dental implants but treating and preventing gum disease which ultimately protects patients from disease such as Alzheimer's.
 
Please contact Periodontal Associates at (303) 755-4500 to learn more about the connection between periodontal disease and system diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory problems. Dr. Ken Versman, Dr. Doug Heller, and Dr. Eric Beckman are Denver's high quality provider of gum disease treatment and dental implants.  If you or a loved one fear you may be dealing with periodontal disease and unsure who that will affect your future health, we encourage you to call or stop in to our Aurora office today!

Dementia Linked to Gum Disease

Prevent Dementia by Visiting Your Dentist

 

If you can’t remember to brush your teeth that may not the only memory to go as gum disease is linked to preventing dementia. A new study in the U.S. was just released that observes this phenomenon.

Researchers studied nearly 5,500 elderly people in a retirement home in California for over 18 years (1992 -2010).  Most participants were Caucasian, educated, and ranged from 52 years of age to 105 years of age. They found that those who brushed their teeth less than once a day had a 65% higher chance in developing dementia than those who brushed every day. "Not only does the state of your mind predict what kind of oral health habits you practice, it may be that your oral health habits influence whether or not you get dementia," said Annlia Paganini-Hill, leader of the study.

The participants were interviewed at the start with a number of questions regarding their dental health, including brushing, flossing, number of visits to their dentist, and if they use dentures.  At this time, no one in the group suffered from dementia.  A follow – up interview was then done 18 years later when 1,145 of those people were diagnosed with dementia, determine from the interviews, medical records, or even death certificates in some cases. 

In more detail, there was a difference in gender, as well.  Women had a 1 in 3.7 chance of developing the disease when brushing less than once daily while men had a 1 in 6 chance. This had more of a correlation to those who wore their dentures as those who did wear them had twice as higher chance to develop dementia than those who had most of their own teeth.  And on top of that, those who lost most of their natural teeth and did not wear their dentures had a 91% greater risk of dementia than those with their natural teeth.  Dr. Versman, Dr. Heller, and Dr. Beckman would strongly suggest coming in for a consultation for dental implants if you are concerned about the strength of your own teeth.

Now, one may ask, what comes first, the chicken or the egg? It is common to think those with the onset of dementia will begin to decrease their dental maintenance, meaning that dementia is responsible for poor self-care.  However, gum disease has a common negative influence as bacteria from gingivitis are associated with heart disease, stroke and diabetes.  This is enough proof to not take any chances.  Periodontal Associates would suggest you continue to upkeep bi-annual cleanings at a minimum unless otherwise stated your doctor.

Paginini-Hill concludes, “In addition to helping maintain natural, healthy, functional teeth, oral health behaviors are associated with lower risk of dementia in older adults.”

It is scary to see how our dental habits are related with our future health, both mentally and physically.  There is still time to help prevent the onset of gum disease related illnesses by calling Periodontal Associates and meeting with Dr. Versman, Dr. Heller, or Dr. Beckman.  We also have a great team of hygienists to keep those teeth and gums clean.  We have more information about the other gum related diseases on our website www.periodontalhealth.com or continue to follow our blog for further updates.  If you live in the Denver metro area, specifically Aurora, CO, please just stop in today to get all of your questions answered or make an appointment here.

Could Good Oral Health Prevent Dementia?

Connection Between Periodontal Disease and Alzheimer's Disease

Periodontitis is a lifelong, highly prevalent, chronic inflammatory disease associated with stroke, cardiovascular disease, systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.

A new study by Noble et al published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry suggests there may also be a relationship between periodontal disease and dementia.

Dementia is a major public health problem likely related to a complex interaction between genetics, smoking and diseases associated with systemic inflammation, including  diabetes and stroke. These risk factors have a similar systemic inflammatory profile to periodontitis which suggests that they may also provide a common pathway of atherogenesis related to systemic inflammation.

In a study of 2,355 people aged 60 years and older, Noble et al reported an association between a common periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and cognitive impairment. The researchers found individuals with high levels of P. gingivalis had 200 percent increased incidence of impaired verbal memory and subtraction test performance. This association adds to a growing body of evidence for a relationship between poor oral health and dementia.

Oral health problems including periodontal disease, caries, edentulism and inadequate preventive care are more prevalent with increasing age resulting in increased exposure to periodontal pathogens.

One possible reason is a decreased ability to perform plaque control due to arthritis and other physical impairments. Exposure to periodontal pathogens is ubiquitous in older adults who often suffer from arthritis and thus have more difficulty keeping their mouths healthy.

Furthermore, cognitive function is thought to be associated with nutrition. Loss of teeth in older adults may be associated with poor nutrition. Consequently, there may be a relationship between loss of teeth and artherosclerotic changes.

Could Good Oral Health Prevent Dementia?

In an editorial commentary, Dr. Robert Stewart at the Institute of Psychiatry Kings College London, notes the oral health of people with cognitive impairment should, at the very least, receive more clinical attention.  He adds: "If there are good reasons to suspect a link between oral health and cognition, why has this received so little attention to date? The obvious but rather prosaic reason is the historic separation between medicine and dentistry. Clinical specialists have long been a hindrance to effective research (an example being the lack of attention paid to the vascular etiology of dementia) and it is about time that we accepted that disorders do not necessarily follow the way we structure our professions."