Gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease (periodontal disease) that causes irritation, redness, and swelling of the gum.
If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to much more serious gum disease such as tooth loss.
Previous research has shown that the bacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain.
In a recent study from the University of Bergen, researchers have confirmed that this gum disease plays a decisive role in whether a person develops Alzheimer’s disease or not.
The finding suggests that gum health is very important to brain health and that people can brush their teeth carefully to postpone Alzheimer’s disease.
The study is published in Science Advances. One author is Piotr Mydel at Broegelmanns Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science.
In the study, the team examined 53 people with Alzheimer’s disease and discovered the enzyme in 96% of the cases.
They found that the bacteria can produce a protein that destroys nerve cells in the brain, which in turn leads to loss of memory and eventually Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition to Alzheimer’s, the bacteria is linked to rheumatism, COPD and esophageal cancer.
The researchers explain that gum bacteria may not cause Alzheimer’s disease alone, but gum disease can strongly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
The disease may also lead to the rapid progression of Alzheimer’s.
But the good news is that people can Alzheimer’s by brushing teeth and using floss carefully.
This is especially for people who have gingivitis and have Alzheimer’s in their family. These people need to go to their dentist regularly and clean their teeth properly
The team also says that this new finding gives them a possible new approach for attacking Alzheimer’s disease.
They have managed to develop a drug that blocks the harmful enzymes from the bacteria and postpones the development of Alzheimer’s. Now they are planning to test this drug in human patients.
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