The Connection Between Oral Health and Alzheimer’s

By now, most people know about the connection between oral health and overall health. Poor oral health and the buildup of bacteria in the mouth can pollute the body, including the blood stream and the heart. But did you know that there is also a surprising link between poor oral health and Alzheimer’s? If you ever needed more motivation to visit your Sugar Land, TX dentist on a regular basis, the following information will surely be it.

Understanding Alzheimer’s

Before discussing the link between oral health and Alzheimer’s it’s important to fully understand the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia. Dementia is defined as a reduction in cognitive function, most notably memory function. While many older folks experience some level of dementia in their final years, this isn’t the same as Alzheimer’s. With dementia, a person may not be able to remember vocabulary words as readily as they did as a youngster. Or they may enter a room and forget why they came in there for a few seconds. But with Alzheimer’s the level of dementia is much more severe.

Eventually, people with Alzheimer’s may forget their loved ones, or even forget they have children. They may forget where they live, who they are or even where the bathroom is in their own house. This angers and frustrates them, and they may undergo marked personality changes, lashing out at those who are trying to help them. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s at this time.

Proven Link Between Poor Oral Health and Alzheimer’s

Recently, a significant and ominous connection was made between oral health and Alzheimer’s. Researchers discovered that a common oral bacteria, called Porphyromonas gingivalis, was in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. This particular bacteria is the main pathogen in patients who have chronic periodontitis. Another type of bacterium related to poor oral health, ginipains, was also identified in samples from brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients. This is irrefutable evidence that oral bacteria can and does travel from the mouth to the brain, where it colonizes and plays a part in the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease.

The point here is that there is more at stake than having attractive teeth. Your very health is endangered when you don’t take oral health seriously. Book an appointment today with your Sugar Land, TX dentist, and visit your dentist every six months at a minimum.