Oral health is as important as your overall physical and mental well-being. People often need to pay more attention to dental and oral health and must not delay their dental visits as regular check-ups are cost-effective, and ignoring them can be pricey. Unless someone experiences pain, they are unlikely to visit any dentist, making them ignore their dental health. Moreover, people sometimes do not brush at least twice daily. When they eat outside, it is also improbable that they would remove the food tidbits from their teeth that remain stuck on the teeth. When they do not brush their teeth to remove those food tidbits, they can accumulate on your teeth, building plaque.
Dental Health Affects Overall Well-Being
Dental health is an integral part of our lives; ignoring it can cause more damage and cost money. But there may be many reasons for neglecting their dentist, like anxiety, cost, embarrassment about teeth, etc. If your dental health is not okay, it can affect your mental health. If you have dental problems such as tooth pain, tooth decay, or tooth loss, it can affect your state of mind, leading to isolation and poorer mental health.
Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s Connection
So, can poor oral and dental health lead to Alzheimer’s? According to the National Center for Health Sciences, analyses revealed that older adults with signs of gum disease and mouth infection at baseline were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Gum disease is a severe infection that damages the soft tissues around the teeth. It happens when you don’t toothbrush or floss properly and don’t go for regular check-ups. It is common but preventable; however, if you don’t treat it on time, it worsens and even causes tooth loss.
Do you know that the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis is linked to advanced periodontal disease, which has a connection to Alzheimer’s? More than one species of bacteria is responsible for gum disease, but P. gingivalis is the primary contributor. P. gingivalis may move from the mouth to the brain. In the brain, the bacteria release harmful enzymes that destroy nerve cells. It can lead to memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, or even worsen the condition if it is already present. So, does it mean all gum disease patients will have Alzheimer’s disease? Not really, but older adults can likely be at more risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease if they experience gum disease.
How Can We Help?
Are you someone who ignores their dental health? Do not spend two minutes twice a day brushing your teeth and flossing. Do not visit the dentist for regular check-ups. Gum disease can develop if you do not care for your teeth well. To start with, schedule an appointment with Foothill Dental Care at (925) 961-5484, and we will thoroughly examine your teeth and help you take care of your teeth.