People who suffer from toothache know that this pain is much more painful than other pains. There are a wide variety of dental diseases that cause a significant decrease in the quality of life. Going to the dentist is one of the biggest doctor phobias. However, ignoring dental diseases threatens health. Finnish researchers have found that dental diseases increase the risk of dementia. People suffering from gum disease and tooth loss have a one-fifth greater risk of developing dementia.
BACTERIA CAUSED BY GINGUAL BLEEDING CAN AFFECT THE BRAIN
In the past decade, several studies have revealed a similar link between poor oral health and dementia. Some researchers have suggested that the condition may be caused by gum disease itself. It is thought that the bacteria that causes bleeding gums can also damage the brain. But even with the new study, there’s no evidence that poor oral health definitely causes dementia. The Finnish study was only observational.
RESEARCH CONTINUES
The connection may actually be for the opposite reason. Experts argue that people in the early stages may forget to brush their teeth. According to the analysis, people with gum disease and missing teeth were up to 23 percent more likely to end up with cognitive decline or dementia. However, the team said the quality of the evidence was poor.
IT CAN PREVENT DEMENTIA, BUT THE EVIDENCE IS NOT ENOUGH YET
Writing in the journal, the authors said: ‘From a clinical perspective, our findings highlight the importance of monitoring and managing periodontal health in the context of dementia prevention. ‘The available evidence is not yet sufficient to indicate clear pathways for early identification of at-risk individuals and the most effective measures to prevent cognitive impairment.’