New York University College of Dentistry researchers have found long-term evidence that periodontal disease may increase the risk of brain inflammation, neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.  The research team looked at 20 years of data and what they found supports the idea of a possible link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Dr. Angela Kamer, lead researcher “The research suggests that cognitively normal subjects with periodontal inflammation are at an increased risk of lower cognitive function compared to cognitively normal subjects with little or no periodontal inflammation.”   Dr. Kamer found that subjects at age 70 with periodontal disease were nine times more likely to test in the lower range on a standardized test as compared to subjects with healthy gum tissue.

What does all this mean for us?  This study is one more piece of information that links the importance of healthy gums and teeth to our overall well-being.  Previous studies have confirmed the links between gum disease and heart disease, diabetes and even low birth-weight babies.  This study adds brain function to that list.

The best advice for maintaining your overall health is to maintain a healthy mouth.

The reasons that patients use to avoid dealing with their gum disease vary but often include the following:

• Taking care of my gums is expensive.  Prevention of, or treatment for, your gum disease is much less costly than the treatment of other illnesses that it can cause.
• It doesn’t hurt so it can’t really be that big a problem.  If you had a large infected sore anywhere else on your body you would get it treated immediately – because gum disease is not obvious does not mean you can safely ignore it.
• I am anxious or afraid of visiting the dentist.  Many of our patients fall into this category – we offer several options for making your visit more comfortable.  Click here for more information about dentistry with the “little pill”.  My team and I specialize in treating anxious patients.

A healthy smile contributes to a healthy life.  Please contact us at  614-476-6696 today – conveniently located in Gahanna, Ohio.