PERIODONTAL HEALTH ISSUE | DECEMBER 2022
Gum disease is a worldwide concern that currently affects 60-80% of the population to varying degrees. The primary cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque and often the patient may not realize they are on the path to a more severe and irreversible condition. Proper oral hygiene plays a key role in maintaining oral health, but there are ways to maximize your hygiene routine at a bacterial level without adding harsh mouthwashes that do more damage than good.
Clinical and Bacterial Markers of Periodontitis and Their Association with Incident All-Cause and Alzheimer's Disease Dementia in a Large National Survey
J Alzheimers Dis2020 May A Beydoun et al
We are no strangers to the fact that our mouths are home to millions of bacteria. There are still studies being conducted suggesting that the bacteria in our mouth can cause complications elsewhere in our body such as with diabetes, pre-term births and with our cardiovascular health due to the potential of bacteria travelling through the bloodstream and into our brain. However, based on the following study, we are discovering that there may also be a link between the bacteria in our mouth and the likelihood of developing a dementia diagnosis. According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, in 2020 the number of Canadians living with dementia was at 569,600. By 2023 this number is expected to hit 955,900. At present, the expected cost of bringing a dementia-treating drug from the lab to market is estimated at almost $4 million.
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Oral health and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory mortality in older people in the UK and USA
Sci Rep. 2021 Eftychia Kotronia et al
According to this next article, “aging is characterized by an accumulation of chronic diseases and conditions, which can influence quality of life and health”. This includes poor oral health, with issues such as tooth loss, periodontal disease and dry mouth being common amongst our older population which worsens with age. They reason that poor oral health is associated with high levels of inflammation, poor diet and other conditions like diabetes and pneumonia and their findings suggest that older individuals with poor oral health may have a reduced life expectancy (independent of behavioral and biological factors).
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