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Tuesday 13th September 2022
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Finnish researchers found that people with gum disease and tooth loss were about one-fifth more likely to develop dementia.
Experts said it indicates that dental health “monitoring and management” may be key to preventing this condition and, over the past decade, several studies have revealed a similar link between poor oral health and dementia.
It has led some researchers to speculate that the condition could be caused by the gum disease itself and that the bacteria that cause the gums to bleed could reach the brain, where doctors believe it can damage the organ.
But even with the new study, there’s no evidence that poor oral health definitely causes dementia.
The link may actually occur for the opposite cause, and experts say people in the early stages may forget to brush their teeth.
The latest research, in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Association, brought together data from 47 previous studies that looked at the relationship between cognitive decline or dementia and oral health, most of which only looked at people over the age of 65. years and has been monitoring their health for less than a decade.
Academics from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio studied articles on periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease.
Read also: Discover the most common and dangerous gum diseases .. Here are the symptoms
The condition can cause loosening of the jaw, cavities under the teeth, and damage to the connective tissue that holds the teeth in place.
It can be prevented by brushing your teeth to remove plaque before it hardens into tartar, a hard, concrete-like substance that can only be removed professionally.
Dr. Sam Asher and colleagues also studied papers on tooth loss due to severe gum disease.
They searched all available numbers, which include thousands of people and their medical records, to find the link.
According to the analysis, people with gum disease and missing teeth were up to 23% more likely to develop cognitive decline or dementia.
But the team said the quality of the evidence was poor.
The researchers stated in the journal: “From a clinical perspective, our findings underscore the importance of periodontal health monitoring and management in the context of dementia prevention. The available evidence is not yet sufficient to indicate clear methods for identification. of individuals at risk, and the most effective measures to prevent cognitive decline. ” “.
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