Large Study Links Gum Disease with Dementia

DJnAZ

Has anyone seen this information? I searched this forum and couldn't find any related information or link. I also posted this on the Spouse caregivers forum but thought this more of a general interest topic.

Large Study Links Gum Disease with Dementia

The mouth is home to about 700 species of bacteria, including those that can cause periodontal (gum) disease. A recent analysis led by NIA scientists suggests that bacteria that cause gum disease are also associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, especially vascular dementia. The results were reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The link can be found at:

https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/large-study-links-gum-disease-dementia

BassetHoundAnn

Oh that's really interesting! My mom was really fussy about dental hygiene until her dementia set in and then her mouth started to deteriorate. I think one of the reasons was that she wasn't being as aggressive as she had been in the past with getting back to the dentist to get cavities filled, get follow-up cleanings, etc. 

When I took over her care I found in her files years of reports of yearly dental exams but no care follow-up. It's really something to speculate about. 

Thank you for the link!

Stuck in the middle

Bad teeth can cause cause heart disease too.  Tooth decay and gum disease are both bad for general health.