Furthermore, P. gingivalis was found in human brain tissue of patients who were not diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, providing more evidence that the gum disease, specifically P. gingivalis, could potentially contribute to these cognitive diseases. In the people aged 65 and older, 10% of the population suffers from Alzheimer’s and 70% suffer from advanced gum disease. Most people believe that dementia is the cause for improper oral hygiene in older adults. However, given the strong evidence, it’s possible that gum disease from improper oral hygiene increases chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia. Therefore, maintaining good habits throughout the life cycle may prevent the onset of cognitive decline observed in aging adults.
Reference:
Dominy, S. S., Lynch, C., Ermini, F., Benedyk, M., Marczyk, A., Konradi, A., … & Holsinger, L. J. (2019). Porphyromonas gingivalis in Alzheimer’s disease brains: Evidence for disease causation and treatment with small-molecule inhibitors. Science advances, 5(1), eaau3333.