However, this imbalance in oral bacteria was not associated with another Alzheimer’s biomarker called tau.
The study, published in the journal
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, adds to the growing evidence of a connection between periodontal disease (gum disease) and Alzheimer’s. Periodontal disease which affects 70% of adults 65 and older, according to CDC estimates is characterized by chronic and systemic inflammation, with pockets between the teeth and gums enlarging and harboring bacteria.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study showing an association between the imbalanced bacterial community found under the gumline and a CSF biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively normal older adults,” says Angela Kamer, associate professor of periodontology and implant dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry and the study’s lead author.
Date Time
Research finds oral bacterial imbalance linked to Alzheimer’s disease
In the light of increasing evidence of a link between periodontitis and Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry and Weill Cornell Medicine have revealed that older adults with a preponderance of harmful bacteria in their mouth have shown greater evidence of amyloid beta, of the main biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease, in their cerebrospinal fluid.
However, according to an article in Dentistry Today, this imbalance between harmful and bacteria “was not associated with another Alzheimer’s biomarker called tau.”
Speaking about the results of their research, lead author Angela Kamer, DDS, PhD, associate professor of periodontology and implant dentistry at the NYU College of Dentistry had this to say:
Want to Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s? Brush Your Teeth, Study Says
A new study from New York University shows a surprising connection between periodontal disease (gum disease) and Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the NYU College of Dentistry and Weill Cornell Medicine found that older people with more harmful than healthy bacteria in their mouths are more likely to show evidence of amyloid beta in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is considered a key biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.
If you want to keep your mind sharp, you might want to visit your dentist.
The Link Between Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s
Washington [US], April 12 (ANI): Older adults with more harmful than healthy bacteria in their gums are more likely to have evidence for amyloid-beta, a key biomarker for Alzheimer's disease in their cerebrospinal fluid, according to new research by the New York University. However, this imbalance in oral bacteria was not associated with another Alzheimer's biomarker called tau.