Severe gum disease left untreated leads to Alzheimer's
Gum Disease Tied to Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
Severe gingivitis with tooth loss was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Severe gum disease and tooth loss may be linked to an increased risk for developing dementia, a new study has found.
Researchers looked at 8,275 men and women whose average age was 63 at the start of the study. Over an average follow-up of more than 18 years, 19 percent of them developed Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
After controlling for various characteristics, including age, sex, education, cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, smoking and body mass index, they found that compared with people with healthy gums, those who had severe gingivitis with tooth loss had a 22 percent increased relative risk for dementia. Being toothless was associated with a 26 percent increased risk. The report is in the journal Neurology.
Previous studies have shown that bacteria present in periodontal disease, particularly certain spirochetes, can travel along the trigeminal nerve that connects the mucous membranes of the mouth to the brain, potentially causing brain damage. The researchers also suggest that the connection could be more indirect, with the inflammation of gum disease leading to cardiovascular disease or diabetes, which are known risk factors for dementia.
