The New Scientist is reporting (23 Jan 2019) on the new evidence that a bacterium involved in gum disease can potentially be the cause of Alzheimer’s. Porphyromonas Gingivalis, a bacterium that has long been associated with periodontal (gum) disease, has been found to invade and inflame brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s.
P. Gingivalis releases two toxic protein-degrading enzymes, called gingipains, which help the microorganism feed on and subsequently damage human tissue. It is thought that amyloid plaques are a response to this damage and not the initial causation of the disease, which was the main current theory behind Alzheimer’s. This may explain why current therapies for curing the condition have proven ineffective.
When a patient is suffering from periodontal disease, there are greater counts of Porphyromonas Gingivalis and the damage to the gums caused by the disease means bacteria has access to the blood stream through the deep pockets/damaged gum lining.
Avoiding periodontal disease is relatively easy. Good tooth cleaning using an electric tooth brush and inter-oral cleaning aids is key as plaque is the primary cause of gum inflammation.
Hygienists can explain problems and help in finding solutions. Then carry out scaling and remove any hard tartar (hardened plaque) that has built up underneath the gum margin or above, causing more plaque to be retained and adding to inflammation. This occurs where the patient is missing brushing and cleaning the teeth effectively.
Dentists look for and remove any ledges around fillings and crowns that might be trapping food and plaque. Thus aggravating the periodontal condition.
Excellent brushing on the margin, where the tooth connects to the gum is required as well as some form of effective interdental cleaning (floss, interdental brushes or a combination of both). In some people genetic predisposition means they are more prone to gum disease, but the treatment is similar.
Medicated agents, such as Corsodyl are only a temporary solution and can cause bacterial resistance and should not be used for longer than two weeks. The trick here is that the mouthwash cannot physically remove plaque from the tooth surface and gum, where it builds up in a matter of hours after we brush our teeth. So mechanical plaque removal is the only effective way to treat periodontal disease and keep it at bay, potentially reducing our risk of Alzheimers!
Evidence: Keep brushing, flossing and using inter-proximal cleaning twice daily for healthy gums and brain function.
