Gum Disease May Cause or Promote Alzheimer’s Disease

From Medical Xpress:

“Researchers have determined that gum disease (gingivitis) plays a decisive role in whether a person develops Alzheimer´s or not.

“We discovered DNA-based proof that the bacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain,” says researcher Piotr Mydel at Broegelmanns Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen (UiB).

The bacteria produces a protein that destroys nerve cells in the brain, which in turn leads to loss of memory and ultimately, Alzheimer’s.”

Source: Brush your teeth—postpone Alzheimer’s

I take this with a large grain of salt. Click for detailed info on the theory and the Porphyromonas gingivalis bacterium. This organism is the most common bacterium found in the arteries of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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