Did you know that the cause of Alzheimer’s Disease may start in your mouth

People with poor oral hygiene or gum disease may be at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.If you bled when you brushed your teeth this morning, you need to schedule an appointment with our office for a complete oral examination.  Finally studies have found the long-elusive cause of Alzheimer’s disease-Porphyromonas gingivalis, the key bacteria in chronic gum disease.

Gum disease affects around a third of all people and is the number 1 leading cause of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and now Alzheimer's disease. The good news is at our office we work with patients everyday and help treat gum disease by scaling and root planning.  

Alzheimer’s is one of the biggest mysteries in medicine. As populations have aged, dementia has skyrocketed to become the fifth biggest cause of death worldwide. 

What should I do?

Listening to your dentist, for a start. We advise cleaning your teeth twice a day, and flossing or interdental sticks or using a water pik to get plaque out from the gaps. Too vigorous brushing can get oral bacteria into the bloodstream, so take it easy. But if plaque is allowed to build up it can become mineralized, turning into hard tartar, which encourages the growth of more plaque towards the tooth roots.

Anything else I should do? 

All the usual general health advice applies here. Smoking makes gum disease worse and harder to treat. And a good diet and exercise regime reduces low-level chronic inflammation, which is bad for your gums and your brain. It may be no coincidence that general physical ill-health makes Alzheimer’s worse.

If you think you or a loved one may have gum disease do not delay making an appointment with our office. 864.244.3211