September is an entire month devoted to raising awareness about dementia and Alzheimer’s with the Alzheimer’s Disease International team. Why does your dentist in The Woodlands care about dementia and Alzheimer’s? Because more and more articles like this are revealing interesting findings as more studies are conducted and completed. Alarmingly, they show the growing importance of investigating the direct correlation or link between your oral and overall health.
What You Need to Know
This year’s campaign focuses on diagnosis, how to shine an essential light on spotting the early warning signs of dementia, and where to turn for support. The study found that people with more dangerous than healthy bacteria generally have the protein marker for Alzheimer’s disease in their spinal fluid, also known as amyloid beta. This is important because your mouth is where harmful bacteria can live, creating unwanted inflammation, but good bacteria can also reside there.
How’d They Do it?
Researchers looked at 48 patients who are either 65 or older who still possess normal thinking abilities to complete their study. Each patient completed an oral examination and a spinal tap. They also had bacterial samples taken from below their gum line that researchers were later able to analyze compared to samples of the spinal fluid for the presence of amyloid beta. Results showed that individuals with more harmful than healthy bacteria were more likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s later in life.
What to Know
Since the theme this year is diagnosis, we wanted to share the ten signs of dementia everyone should know about, including:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Disorientation to time and place
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Problems keeping track of things
- Misplacing things
- Changes in mood or behavior
- Trouble with images and spatial relationships
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
If you have questions about your periodontal or gum health, maybe it’s time you talked to a Woodlands dentist. Schedule your appointment at the most convenient location for your and your family today!
Dr. Robert Dernick (General, Cosmetic, Implant Dentistry, and TMJ)
Dr. Mike Freeman (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ)
Dr. Alisa Reed (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Laser, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ)
Dr. Wade Williams (Orthodontics)
Dr. Nikita Vakil (General, Cosmetic, Implant Dentistry)
Dr. Leslie Blackburn (Pediatric Dentistry)