Poor Oral Health: An Invitation to Dementia

Strong and healthy teeth not only keeps your dental’s bill to minimum, but they also significantly reduce the risk of Dementia.

A new study conducted by Columbia University shows that poor oral health may contribute to the development of Dementia.

The Study

The researchers at Columbia University tested the memory capabilities of nearly 2,300 individuals of 60 and above. Tests were also conducted on these volunteers to diagnose periodontitis – an inflammatory disease that affects the periodontium, which are tissues that support and surround the teeth. Some of the volunteers were found to have periodontitis.

The Findings

All of the volunteers were given various memory tests. It was found that individuals who recorded the maximum levels of periodontitis causing bacteria were 3 times more likely to have difficulty in remembering a three-word sequence in comparison to those who had healthy gums and teeth. Also, volunteers with high levels of periodontitis causing bacteria were two times less likely to pass a memory test that involved mental arithmetic.

The Conclusion

The researchers believe that there is a link between poor dental health and diseases that involve memory loss, such as Dementia. Though, experts accept that more research needs to be done on this matter, they unanimously acknowledge the possibility of association between gum diseases and Dementia.

How gum diseases help in the development of Dementia

At present, experts do not have a definite answer. However, there are different theories on how gum diseases may contribute to the development of Dementia.

It is known that gum disease-causing bacteria damage the arteries, and damaged arteries are known to expedite the symptoms of dementia. It is also speculated that as gum disease-causing bacteria cause inflammation they may be indirectly contributing to Dementia. Inflammation is known to cause damage to arteries wall and decrease the blood carrying capacity of arteries. A poor flow of blood is the cause of many heart diseases, as well as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

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