In a new study out of Japan, researchers investigated the relationship between oral health and brain health, specifically, whether periodontitis (gum disease) and tooth loss can increase the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia, in the late middle-aged and older adult population. Both tooth loss and periodontitis were related to a faster rate of atrophy in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that directs memory, learning, and emotion. The study is significant because although previous research established a relationship between poor oral health and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, this study identifies a relationship between poor oral health and hippocampal atrophy.
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