GUM DISEASE LINKED TO DEMENTIA!
But flossing & daily brushing reduce the risk
CHEW on this! Researchers say brushing and flossing every day may reduce your risk of developing dementia!
Scientists at Finland’s Kuopio University Hospital discovered people who don’t properly care for their pearly whites are 21 percent more likely to develop memoryrobbing Alzheimer’s disease!
The experts also linked poor oral hygiene to elevated odds of cognitive decline and tooth loss!
The study’s authors explain gum disease, also known as periodontitis, appears to encourage “the development of neuroinflammation via systemic inflammation,” which is caused by damaging mouth bacteria circulating throughout the body.
Kansas-based dentist Dr. Maria del Cielo BarraganKing, who was not involved in the research, says the findings underscore the importance of oral care and its impact on overall health.
She points out mouths are full of both good and bad bacteria.
“We need these bacteria to live in equilibrium, and when our dental hygiene is missing, the bad bacteria can overcome and install in our gums,” Barragan-King explains.
“There is evidence bacteria can travel to the brain and participate with neurodegeneration that will ultimately decline our cognitive health.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost half of Americans over 30 have some form of gum disease — and that number skyrockets to nearly 70 percent among those older than 65!
Barragan-King advises visiting a dentist at least twice a year for a professional cleaning and exam, treating any periodontal disease and flossing to clean areas between teeth where bacteria can collect.
“It is never too late to change habits,” she insists.