March 2023 • Jo-Anne Jones, RDH • Compliments of Dental Products Report
The connectivity between the brain and the mouth is intricate, and poor oral health can lead to increased risk of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease–related dementia.
Conceptually, the oral-systemic link is not new. Existing research illustrates the undeniable association between periodontitis and other systemic diseases; however, this research has recently expanded into the potential interface of oral pathogens and the exacerbation of Alzheimer disease (AD) and Alzheimer disease–related dementia (ADRD). The prevalence of this fatal disease and its devastating impact on lives and families only strengthens the urgency of finding ways to fight something that presently has no cure.
We aim to recognize the incidence of AD and ADRD in the United States, to understand the biological pathway in which periodontal pathogens can exacerbate degenerative changes in the brain, and to identify the role of dental professionals in promoting the importance of professional and daily oral care to mitigate disease risk. Periodontal disease is treatable, and we are situated ideally to treat, educate, and promote evidence-based therapeutic interventions to sustain oral health and mitigate the risk of systemic disease.
What Is Alzheimer Disease?
The strong prevalence of AD has touched many of our lives. It takes an emotional toll that is almost impossible to articulate. We see our loved ones become someone so unfamiliar to us, making the loss even more devastating. The research on the connectivity between oral health and brain health is growing rapidly.
Before we delve into the research surrounding periodontal pathogens and the deterioration of brain health, specifically AD, we must understand the disease itself. AD and ADRD are progressive neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases of the brain. The disease was named after the medical doctor who first discovered it over a century ago, Alois Alzheimer.
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