Gum disease has
been linked to a greater rate of cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's
disease, early stage research has suggested.
The small study,
published in PLOS ONE, looked at
59 people who were all deemed to have mild to moderate dementia.
It is thought
the body's response to gum inflammation may be hastening the brain's decline.
The Alzheimer's
Society said if the link was proven to be true, then good oral health may help
slow dementia.
The body's
response to inflammatory conditions was cited as a possible reason for the
quicker decline.
Inflammation
causes immune cells to swell and has long been associated with Alzheimer's.
Researchers believe their findings add weight to evidence that inflammation in
the brain is what drives the disease.
The study,
jointly led by the University of Southampton and King's College London,
cognitively assessed the participants, and took blood samples to measure inflammatory
markers in their blood.
Their oral
health was also assessed by a dental hygienist who was unaware of the cognitive
outcomes.
Of the sample
group, 22 were found to have considerable gum disease while for the remaining
37 patients the disease was much less apparent. The average age of the group
with gum disease was 75, and in the other group it was 79.
A majority of
participants - 52 - were followed up at six months, and all assessments were
repeated.
The presence of
gum disease - or periodontitis as it is known - was associated with a six-fold
increase in the rate of cognitive decline, the study suggested.
View study here: Periodontitis and Cognitive
Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease
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