A new study shows that gum disease may be connected to damage in the brain. This damage appears as white spots on brain scans, known as white matter hyperintensities, which are thought to reflect tissue injury.
These changes have been linked to problems with memory, balance, and thinking, as well as a higher risk of stroke.
The research was published in Neurology® Open Access, a journal from the American Academy of Neurology. While the study does not prove that gum disease causes brain damage, it suggests that taking care of your teeth may also help protect your brain.
White matter is the part of the brain that helps different areas communicate with each other. When this white matter is damaged, it can interfere with important functions like reasoning, coordination, and memory. These types of injuries tend to increase as people get older and are a sign of hidden brain problems.
Scientists believe that chronic inflammation in the mouth, caused by gum disease, could affect blood vessels in the brain. More studies are needed to understand exactly how the mouth and brain are connected.
In this study, researchers looked at 1,143 adults with an average age of 77. Everyone had a dental check to measure gum health, and a brain scan to check for signs of small vessel disease. Of all the participants, 800 had gum disease and 343 did not.
The brain scans were used to look for white matter hyperintensities, a marker of small blood vessel damage in the brain. These spots were more common and more severe in people with gum disease. On average, those with gum disease had these spots covering 2.83% of their total brain volume, compared to 2.52% in those without gum problems.
The researchers grouped people based on how much of their brain was affected. People in the highest group had more than 21.36 cubic centimeters of white matter damage, while those in the lowest group had less than 6.41 cubic centimeters.
Among people with gum disease, 28% were in the highest group for white matter damage. In contrast, only 19% of those without gum disease were in this group. After adjusting for other health risks like age, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes, the team found that people with gum disease were 56% more likely to have the most severe brain damage.
Interestingly, the researchers did not find a connection between gum disease and other brain issues such as microbleeds or small strokes. This may mean the link is more specific to white matter injury.
Dr. Souvik Sen, the study’s lead author, said that this research adds to the growing belief that keeping your mouth healthy might also help keep your brain healthy. He pointed out that gum disease is both preventable and treatable.
If future studies confirm this link, dentists and doctors may be able to work together to help prevent brain problems by treating oral inflammation.
The study had one limitation: participants had their dental and brain exams only once. That means we don’t know how things changed over time. Still, the results suggest that brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits may have more benefits than we once thought—including protecting your brain as you age.
If you care about stroke, please read studies that diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk, and MIND diet could slow down cognitive decline after stroke.
For more health information, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce the risk of dementia, and tea and coffee may help lower your risk of stroke, dementia.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
