A new study has revealed worrisome findings regarding oral health and cognitive function, suggesting that gum disease may impair brain function, potentially increasing the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease.
The research was published recently in the ‘Journal of Periodontology’. Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that causes memory loss and thinking difficulties.
It’s the most common type of dementia in older adults. The researchers discovered that individuals suffering from moderate-to-severe gum disease exhibited altered connections between various brain regions, which may heighten their risk of developing dementia.
The researchers compared MRI brain scans of 51 adults with normal cognition. Eleven had healthy gums and 40 had gum disease, according to the ‘Medical Xpress’.
Participants with gum disease, especially moderate-tosevere cases, had altered connections between and within different brain regions.
