New Study Shows Link Between Poor Oral Health and Brain Shrinkage

New Study Shows Link Between Poor Oral Health and Brain Shrinkage. Image: © sudok1 - stock.adobe.com

A new study from the American Academy of Neurology medical journal Neurology® has confirmed the connection between poor oral health and brain shrinkage in the hippocampus, according to a press release from the Academy. This study, which featured 172 participants at an average age around 67, examined dental exam results and memory tests over the course of 4 years. Participants’ dental exam and memory test results along with brain scans were measured at the beginning of the study, and then observed once again after 4 years had passed.

After the 4 years had passed, researchers brough participants back in to measure once more, finding that the participants with mild gum disease had a faster rate of brain shrinkage in the left hippocampus. Participants with severe gum disease had an even faster rate of brain shrinkage in the same area.

“These results highlight the importance of preserving the health of the teeth and not just retaining the teeth,” study author Satoshi Yamaguchi, PhD, DDS, says in the press release. “The findings suggest that retaining teeth with severe gum disease is associated with brain atrophy. Controlling the progression of gum disease through regular dental visits is crucial, and teeth with severe gum disease may need to be extracted and replaced with appropriate prosthetic devices.”

Shrinkage in this area of the brain has been linked with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, though this study does not directly prove that gum disease causes Alzheimer’s disease. These results may strengthen the oral-systemic link, per Dr Yamaguchi.

“Tooth loss and gum disease, which is inflammation of the tissue around the teeth that can cause shrinkage of the gums and loosening of the teeth, are very common, so evaluating a potential link with dementia is incredibly important,” Dr Yamaguchi says. “Our study found that these conditions may play a role in the health of the brain area that controls thinking and memory, giving people another reason to take better care of their teeth.”