Can Bacteria In Your Mouth Lead To Alzheimer's Disease?

It seems like the connection between oral health and overall health is becoming clearer every day.  With studies linking gum disease to systemic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure it is more important than ever to pay attention to your oral health.  

  Gum Disease May Be Linked To Alzheimer's Disease

 Periodontal (gum) disease is an important contributing factor in more and more diseases.  The latest news on the oral health and overall health relationship is that bacteria which cause gum disease may have a connection to Alzheimer’s disease.  

A recent study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, reported that evidence of gum disease causing bacteria was found in the brains of four out of ten Alzheimer’s patients.  The same evidence was not found in the brains of healthy test subjects. 

The destructive bacteria responsible for gum disease can enter the bloodstream through normal activity such as eating, brushing and invasive dental procedures.  Once the bacteria enter the bloodstream, they can travel to the brain. Since more than 50% of adults over 30 (70% of adults over 60) have some form of gum disease, it is easy to see why the link between Alzheimer’s disease and gum disease is so important. 

Gum Disease Patients Exhibit Increased Cognitive Impairment

In another study, subjects who were diagnosed with gum disease displayed increased cognitive impairment when tested at age 50 and again at age 70.  It is believed that bacterial pathogens found in gum disease create inflammation of glial cells in the brain.  This inflammation is what is believed to lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  

Researchers have found that people who do not brush their teeth every day are 65% more likely to develop dementia than people who brushed their teeth three times a day.  Therefore, it seems safe to assume that practicing good oral hygiene and keeping gum disease at bay can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia later in life. 

 The Time To Act Is Now

 Dr. Jack E. Burroughs of Forest Lane Dental is highly attuned to the oral health/overall health connection.  His practice concentrates on helping patients keep their mouth disease-free in order to help them preserve their health.  Keeping your mouth healthy can, in fact, help you live a longer, healthier life.  It’s just one more reason to see your dentist on a regular basis!  

Confessions of a Dental Professional- Why I Miss Dental Check-Ups And Don’t Always Practice What I Preach

I work in the dental field, and have for over 20 years.  I know a thing or two about dentistry and how important regular dental check-ups are to your oral health and overall health, for that matter.  Every day, I talk to patients about personal oral hygiene, maintenance appointments and taking care of problems before they become extensive (translate: expensive).  You would think that somebody with my background would never, ever miss a check-up or wait too long to get a problem addressed.  You probably think that like my American Express, I never leave home without my floss.  You could not be more wrong.  

 

No Time For Dentistry

My most often used excuse for missing a dental check-up is that I am too busy to take the time to see my dentist.  If I can fall prey to this excuse, then so can anybody.  We all lead very busy lives.  I tell myself that I cannot take the time to keep an appointment.  I have work and on top of that, I have my own small business.  In addition, I have two children, soccer, scouts and school functions.  I tell myself that I simply cannot afford to take the time to see my dentist.  I once went almost 20 months in between dental  visits, which resulted in the need for additional dental visits.  Common sense and basic dental knowledge tells me that one hour every six months is completely do-able.  Life’s pace, and the excuses I make to myself create a different reality.  I understand it, I really do.  The truth is, giving up an hour now will most definitely save you from more hours in the future. 

 

Good Dental Hygiene Is Not Enough

My second excuse for missing a dental appointment is that I take good care of my teeth.  I brush well, keep my gums healthy and I do floss.  I will admit, I do not floss as often as I should and every once in a while the results of that shortcoming will show on my x-rays.  I can afford to skip a dental cleaning because I keep my teeth very clean.  Nope.  There is this hard stuff called calculus that build up on your teeth even if you keep them very clean.  Maybe there is a small area that you miss regularly, or cannot reach well enough.  There it will grow, the hardened plaque that brushing alone cannot remove.  It will damage your teeth, promote bacterial growth and ultimately advance into either tooth decay, gum disease or both.  This hardened calculus can only be removed by a professional, and skipping dental cleaning appointments allows the destructive stuff to do it’s dirty work.  

That Filling I Had When I Was 18 Is Just Fine

If you have had any dental work done in the past, it’s important to have it checked for stability on a regular basis.  Over time, most dental restorations will get old.  Some will need to be replaced.  If you have had a filling or a crown, a root canal or a bridge in the past, chances are it can break down over time.  I like to tell myself that the filling I had in my molar when I was 18 is indestructible.  It has been fixed and is no longer a problem.  The truth is, this filling needs to be checked on a regular basis to make sure that it holds it’s integrity and does not become damaged.  During my dental avoidance period of 20 months, an edge on that filling began to pull away, leaving a tiny crevice just large enough for bacteria to grow.  Tooth decay set in around the filling.  When I went back to the dentist after my long absence, the filling had to be removed and replaced.  I am not saying that my over 20 year old filling would not have failed if I had kept my appointments every 6 months, but I am saying that the problem would have been caught sooner and the repair made before tooth decay set in, had I not avoided the dentist. 

I Have a Love/Hate Relationship With My Dentist’s Recall Cards

My dentist uses subtle but effective tactics to remind me that I am not being responsible about my dental health.  If I miss a dental check-up, I get a reminder card.  I will get a similar card which tells me exactly how overdue I am if I do not take action the first time.  I do not want to be reminded that I am overdue for my check-up, but at the same time, the knowledge that a simple one hour appointment can mean the difference between healthy teeth and a root canal is usually enough to get me back to the dentist.  That knowledge will eat away in the back of my mind, just like the bacteria causing destruction in my mouth.  Eventually, I will take action.  Sometimes, my action is forced because I waited so long that I now have an obvious problem. My dentist is patient.  Even after my long dental absence, the whole team welcomed me back and my dentist did not judge me for my negligence. The three appointments required to fix the damage I caused with my 20 month absence was punishment enough. 

Are you avoiding the dentist?  You are already forgiven.  Call and schedule your dental appointment today.