New Study: Link Between Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s

According to recent research by New York University’s College of Dentistry and Weill Cornell Medicine, gum disease could lead to an increase in the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.¹

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?

While doctors are still learning more about Alzheimer’s and its causes every day, they have identified two key warning signs that show the disease could be developing in a patient. The first is when microscopic compounds called amyloid-beta proteins start clumping together to form a kind of plaque in the spinal fluid. These clumps can start to interfere with the billions of messages² your brain is sending every second.

The second issue occurs when a second compound called tau proteins starts to build up in the brain’s neurons and form tangles. Again, this interferes with the brain’s ability to communicate. Each of these problems leads to brain cell death and, ultimately, a loss of cognitive ability.

How is gum disease a factor?

Gum disease is caused by an imbalance of oral bacteria. Your mouth is home to both “good” bacteria that protect your mouth and keep it healthy, as well as “bad” bacteria that cause inflammation. When the gums become infected, it can cause pockets of bone loss to form between the gums and teeth, which then can become infected with even more bacteria. Gum disease has already been linked to a number of other serious health concerns; including cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer.

Researchers from NYU and Weill Cornell say the evidence is growing that an imbalance of oral bacteria and resulting inflammation correlates with an increase in those two biomarkers mentioned above. They conducted a study in which 48 healthy seniors with no signs of dementia gave an oral swab and a CSF (spinal fluid) sample to be studied.

The test revealed that patients with more harmful bacteria are more likely to have reduced levels of CSF amyloid-beta; a warning sign that the Alzheimer’s-related protein is gathering in the brain.

The team believes the inflammation itself is the source of the problem, which means that the good oral bacteria that fight inflammation play as big a role as the bad bacteria that cause it.

What Causes Gum Disease and How it's Treated

What is gum disease and how do you treat it? Dr. Ryan Jones of Nashville Restorative Dentistry answers common questions about gingivitis and periodontal disease. Learn what causes gum disease and how the expert staff at Nashville Restorative Dentistry to work with you to treat it. Nashville Restorative Dentistry is a leader in preventing and treating gum disease, as well as other restorative dentistry practices and serves the entire Nashville, TN metro area and beyond, including Brentwood, Franklin, and Cool Springs.

Video Transcript

The two main components that we’re looking at when we’re evaluating what’s going on in your mouth that can negatively affect your overall health is gum disease and infected teeth. So Gum disease can have two different components: Gingivitis and Periodontitis. Gingivitis is reversible inflammation of your gum tissue that is caused by the bacteria and plaque. It creates inflammation which leads to bleeding, but it’s reversible which means we can make it go away and there’s no long term damage that’s taken place. Periodontal disease is where you’ve actually lost bone. That infection has progressed. It’s been more longstanding or more aggressive in its destruction. So when we look at X-rays of the teeth we see that bone levels have receded. So you’ve lost anchoring support that keeps your teeth stable.While that in and of itself is a concern, the bigger issue is that inflammation caused by the bacteria that creates the disease is entering your bloodstream. So whether it is gum disease, whether it is infected teeth that are actually abscessed, bacteria is at the root of all of that. The bacteria is getting into your circulatory system. So when you see all the headlines about how gum disease is connected to cardiovascular disease, heart attack risk, stroke risk, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, all the litany of research that is coming out right now is connected to how that infection is creating chronic inflammation and inflammation is the key to all of this. So treating gum disease is really about ridding our bodies of inflammation just as much as it is about making our mouths themselves healthier.

The ways to treat gum disease depend on which type of gum disease you actually have. Gingivitis is a reversible inflammation of the tissue that is really just based on plaque staying along the gum line. So, regardless of whether you’re using certain types of toothpastes or rinse, it really comes down to removing that biofilm consistently. As that plaque goes away, the tissue is going to heal, the inflammation is going to go away, the bleeding is going to stop and there won’t be a continued destructive nature to the disease. Gum disease that has transitioned into Periodontitis where we’ve seen bone destruction and attachment loss from the tissue, that treatment is going to be more involved. And there is different levels of severity of it, but more or less your treatment is going to consist of having in-office work done as well as what you’re doing at home. So in the office we’re using ultrasonics, lasers, ozonated water, different ways to disrupt the buildup of bacteria and biofilm below the guideline. At home, you’re going to be using electric toothbrushes, water picks, flossing, certain types of rinse or gel products that are usually going to contain an essential oil or be peroxide-based to be disrupting the bacteria while you’re in between visits. But the connection between your in-office and at-home recur program are going to be important because you can’t keep periodontal disease from being destructive just by going to the dentist. You can’t just do it at home. There’s got to be a teamwork focus between you and your dental care provider to keep that inflammatory process in remission so you’re not continuing to experience destruction of bone levels, bleeding of gum tissue or the inflammation that results from it.

Want to fight Alzheimer’s Brush and floss?

Periodontal disease (or gum disease) is a completely preventable condition. And preventing it is as easy as brushing twice a day and flossing. These two hygiene routines are extremely effective at ridding your mouth of debris and the bad bacteria that cause gum inflammation.

Don’t like flossing? Try a Waterpik instead — studies show it’s actually more successful at removing the bacteria containing plaque in between your teeth. For added protection, a good mouth rinse can help clean some of the more difficult-to-reach spots in your mouth. We really like the Brushing Rinse products which are organic and use peroxide and essential oils to combat those bad bacteria. The use of an oral probiotic is something that is also showing promising results in helping balance the oral bacteria.

It is equally as important to have regular preventive care visits with your dentist. Dental hygienists are trained experts with specialized ultrasonic instruments that are much more effective at removing tartar buildup and those bad bacteria from your teeth and gums than you can accomplish alone. Other steps you can take to improve your gum health are to avoid smoking, get plenty of vitamins A & C, and have your dentist correct any issues such as faulty fillings or crowded teeth.

Actual Patients Results

Neal

Issue: An old existing bridge was no longer esthetically acceptable to him. The midline of the two front teeth looked tilted and the space between the replacement teeth and the gums created a visible darkness in his smile.

Solution: The old bridge was removed and a new all ceramic bridge was made to straighten the midline, fill in the dark spaces, and create more natural appearing gum contours. The upper right canine and lateral incisor as well as the upper left lateral incisor are replaced by this bridge.

More Results

We are equipped to handle the majority of your dental needs.

We understand the importance of having a dentist you can trust. And that means not being sent off to a different specialist every time you need a new procedure. At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we are equipped to handle the majority of your dental needs, from cosmetic to restorative, implants to extractions. When you come to us, you are getting a dental team for life.

Sources

¹Melore, Chris (2021, April 13). “Imbalance in Gum Bacteria Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarker.” Study Finds (NYU). https://www.studyfinds.org/gum-disease-alzheimers-disease/

²Khan Academy. “Signal propagation: The movement of signals between neurons.” https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/organ-systems/neural-synapses/a/signal-propagation-the-movement-of-signals-between-neurons

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Nashville Restorative Dentistry

Dr. Ryan M. Jones

Ryan M. Jones, DDS, FAGD, focuses on delivering excellence in dental care and creating beautiful smiles, fighting disease and inflammation, using biocompatible materials, and educating patients about their scope of treatment options. He is an alumnus of Brentwood High School, the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), and the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry (Memphis). He is a graduate and mentor for the Kois Center in Seattle, a world-class post-graduate facility focusing on comprehensive patient care. He has taken the Pikos Institute (Tampa, FL) curriculum, which is focused on advanced surgical techniques. He’s also earned a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) and is currently expanding his digital dentistry and Exocad knowledge in various courses.

Dr. Jones is also passionate about providing for the underserved and has taken part in many dentistry-related charity and community projects.

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Dr. Caleb M. Estes

Caleb M. Estes, DMD, FAGD, is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background and extensive postdoctoral education. After graduating from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville and earning his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the SIU School of Dental Medicine, he has constantly pursued advanced training. He has earned a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry and is a graduate of the prestigious Kois Center. Before joining Nashville Restorative Dentistry, he served in the US Army as a general dentist and a Captain, deploying alongside US and NATO forces to Afghanistan in 2015. He also completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program with the Army during this time.

Dr. Estes’ passion is to provide excellence in clinical dentistry and patient care while using the best restorative and preventative materials available. Accomplished in both surgical and restorative dentistry, he finds great fulfillment in transforming smiles and instilling confidence in his patients.

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Patient Testimonial

Issue: Two badly infected and broken upper front teeth as well as poor alignment of his teeth overall.

Solution: Through a process involving extractions, bone grafting, and braces we were able to achieve a healthy, infection free point which allowed dental implants to be placed and utilized to replace the two missing front teeth.

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