Mental health problems, dietary deficiencies, heart problems… There are many health concerns that can arise from poor oral health. And scientists just added one to the list: an adverse effect on the brainthey note on the occasion of the congress International Stroke Conference 2023.
Dementia risks
The researchers studied 40,000 people who were on average 57 years old. They all had a genetic predisposition to tooth problems, such as losing teeth or simply being prone to cavities. They gave them MRI scans and found that the brains of those who had teeth in poor health had particularities: they had a large amount of white matter in the brain. It was actually myelin, which surrounds nerve fibers, and acts as an insulating substance.
The excess of the latter was associated with a cognitive decline, because it would alter, among other things, the memory, when it is 24% more present than it should be, they specify. If it is only a preliminary study, but it echoes similar works.
In September 2022, scientists published a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society who estimated that people with poor periodontal hygiene had a 21% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s one day. This is explained by the fact that our mouth is a nest for bacteria, which take up residence in our gums and can cross our tissues until they penetrate the brain, and thus weaken it.
Sources: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, International Stroke Conference
