Poor dental health may lead to Alzheimer's, study suggests

Main Category: Dentistry
Also Included In: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 31 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT

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Poor dental health may lead to Alzheimer's, study suggests

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People with poor oral hygiene or gum disease may be at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study led by The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) School of Medicine and Dentistry suggests.

The research, which has received international collaboration, and led by Professor Stjohn Crean and Dr Sim Singhrao from UCLan, examined brain samples donated by ten patients withoutdementia and ten patients suffering from dementia. The research demonstrated the presence of products from Porphyromonas gingivalis in brains from patients suffering from dementia. This bacterium is commonly associated with chronic periodontal (gum) disease. These bacteria enter the bloodstream through daily activities such as eating, chewing, tooth brushing but especially following invasive dental treatment, and from there, potentially enter the brain on a regular basis. The researchers propose that every time they reach the brain, the bacteria may trigger immune system responses by already primed brains cells, causing them to release more chemicals that kill neurons. This could be one mechanism that leads to changes in the brain, which is typical of Alzheimer's disease, and could be responsible for causing symptoms such as confusion and deteriorating memory.

The research benefited from donated brain samples, provided by Brains for Dementia Research, a brain donation scheme supported by Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society. Finding P. gingivalis in the brains from dementia sufferers compared to those without dementia is significant as its presence in Alzheimer's diseased brains has not been documented previously and at the same time adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests an association between poor oral health and dementia.

These published research findings from human brain specimens are further supported by recent (as yet unpublished) research from the same group, on periodontal disease, using animal models, which has been carried out in collaboration with the University of Florida. This animal work has confirmed that P. gingivalis in the mouth finds its way to the brain once the periodontal disease becomes established.

Professor Stjohn Crean, Dean of School of Medicine & Dentistry said:

"Whereas previous studies have indicated a link between dementia and other bacteria and viruses such as the Herpes simplex virus type I, this new research indicates a possible association between gum disease and individuals who may be susceptible to developing Alzheimer's disease, if exposed to the appropriate trigger! Research currently underway at UCLan is playing an active role in exploring this link, but it remains to be proven whether poor dental hygiene can lead to dementia in healthy people, which obviously could have significant implications for the population as a whole. It is also likely that these bacteria could make the existing disease condition worse."

Dr. Sim K. Singhrao, Senior Research Fellow at UCLan said: "We are working on the theory that when the brain is repeatedly exposed to bacteria and/or their debris from our gums, subsequent immune responses may lead to nerve cell death and possibly memory loss. Thus, continued visits to dental hygiene professionals throughout one's life may be more important than currently envisaged with inferences for health outside of the mouth only. To help us prove our hypothesis we are hoping to use the Brains for Dementia Research tissue resource to examine brain tissue from people with both intact and compromised memory who have relevant dental records. The future of the research aims to discover if P. gingivalis can be used as a marker, via a simple blood test, to predict the development of Alzhiemer's disease in at risk patients".

Alzheimer's disease linked to poor dental health

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Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Dentistry
Article Date: 31 Jul 2013 - 5:00 PDT

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Alzheimer's disease linked to poor dental health

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A study has found that people with poor oral hygiene or gum disease could be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's compared with those who have healthy teeth.

Researchers from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in the UK, discovered the presence of a bacterium calledPorphyromonas gingivalis in the brains of patients who had dementia when they were alive. The bug is usually associated with chronic periodontal (gum) disease.

For the study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 10 brain samples from patients with dementia were donated for analysis by a scheme called Brains for Dementia Research, alongside 10 brain samples from people who had not had the disease.

Examination of the samples revealed the presence of the Porphyromonas gingivalis in the samples of the brains affected by Alzheimer's.

Need for invasive dental treatment 'increases the bacterial risk'

This bacteria is usually found in oral cavities, and enters the blood stream through a variety of daily activities, such as chewing, eating and brushing teeth. However, it is more likely to enter the blood stream after invasive dental treatment, where it is possible that the bacteria can enter the brain regularly, the researchers say.

Each time the bacteria enter the brain, the researchers note, this could potentially trigger immune system responses, causing the release of excess chemicals that can kill neurons.

The researchers say that this activity could lead to symptoms such as confusion and deteriorating memory - typical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Study adds to previous findings

The study adds to previous findings that Alzheimer's is linked to poor oral health. Research from New York University in 2010 revealed long-term evidence that linked gum inflammation and Alzheimer's disease, finding that gum disease could increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction.

Another study has suggested that other bacteria and viruses are linked to the disease. Research from the University of New Mexico suggested that Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was linked to Alzheimer's. See "Cold sores" connected to cognitive decline.

Professor St John Crean, from the School of Medical Dentistry at UCLAN, says of this most recent research:

"Whereas previous studies have indicated a link between dementia and other bacteria and viruses such as the Herpes simplex virus type 1, this new research indicates a possible association between gum disease and individuals who may be susceptible to developing Alzheimer's disease, if exposed to the appropriate trigger."

"Research currently under way at UCLan is playing an active role in exploring this link," Prof. St John Crean continues, "but it remains to be proven whether poor dental hygiene can lead to dementia in healthy people, which obviously could have significant implications for the population as a whole. It is also likely that these bacteria could make the existing disease condition worse."

The researchers hope that continued donation of brain tissue will enable examination of more samples from people with and without Alzheimer's disease who have relevant dental records.

They add that future research will involve determining whether the Porphyromonas gingivaliscould be used as a marker for a blood test that predicts the development of Alzheimer's disease in patients who are at higher risk.

Written by Honor Whiteman

Copyright: Medical News Today 
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today 

The latest dental news on April Fool's Day!

As is known to all, April Fool's Day is the 1st of April, the day on which people traditionally play tricks on each other.  I guess some of us would be fooled on such special day! As for me, I played jokes on my friends this morning! To my surprise, they believed me without question! Lol, because of these, I found it’s not funny at all! Meanwhile, it’s the first day this month! Which means the new beginning for all of us!

Despite of the April Fool’s Day itself, I want to share something refers to the dental news! At the 35th International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne (12 - 16 March 2013), Hu-Friedy, leading manufacturer of dental instruments will present numerous product innovations for the fields of periodontology, diagnostic, composite restoration, dental surgery, orthodontics and instrumental management solutions. For Hu-Friedy, it is a matter of course that the comfort of the treating dental professional and the patient as well as higher precision and working efficiency are the focus of all instrument solutions. At the IDS, Hu-Friedy will present its entire product range, including numerous innovative instrument solutions. The International Dental Show (IDS), which takes place every two years, is the world?s leading trade fair for the dental sector, as the products presented reflect the entire global dental market. Decision-makers from the dental profession, the dental technician trade, the dental retail trade and the dental industry, as well as appliances and technologies attend it for experiencing the latest developments.

Well, the news above comes from the dentalnews recently! Another one: Mar. 18, 2013 — Microbes from the human mouth are telling Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists something about periodontitis and more after they cracked the genetic code of bacteria linked to the condition. "So far, no one has been able to isolate and cultivate this type of bacterium," said Podar, who noted that there are bugs in our mouth that we have no clue about and, until now, this was one of them. "The genetic information obtained by sequencing one single cell may offer researchers a key to 'domesticating' these organisms and studying them in the laboratory." We should pay more attention on this problem! Don’t let the unnecessary diease s happen on us someday!

In the end, thanks for the introduction about International Dental Show on dental news! Any suggestions appreciated! Best recommended: http://www.zetadental.com.au/

Arrange the time for oral health each week!

Dear friends, good afternoon, what’s the weather in your place? It’s sunny in my city now! that’s not the most significant, because tomorrow is the weekend! I love the weekends after graduation, I plan to see a dentist with my best friend! My friend told me that the details for life is inevitable! Especially for the oral health! Sometimes we will neglect the important thing, for example, we would have a toothache when we got a cold! Is it not significant? I don’t think so!

Well, before I see a doctor, I searched for the related information on the internet this morning! Good oral health involves more than just brushing. To keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime of use, there are steps that you should follow. Here's what you should consider:

Meanwhile, Talk with your dentist, other oral health care specialist, or hygienist about any special conditions in your mouth and any ways in which your medical/health conditions affect your teeth or oral health. For example, cancer treatments, pregnancy, heart diseases, diabetes, dental appliances (dentures, braces) can all impact your oral health and may necessitate a change in the care of your mouth and/or teeth. Be sure to tell your dentist if you have experienced a change in your general health or in any medications you are taking since your last dental visit.

Thanks again for the recommendation above! Have a nice time at weekend! Arrange the time for oral health each week!

The inevitable part for us-oral health!

What a cool spring in 2013, the sunshine outside is comfortable for us to enjoy the whole day! I believe that most of us have a special feeling for this season! It made me think of the spring outing! It seems that I did not have such wonderful acativity after graduation! Those days were unforgettable! We are always busy working for our future, is it really the era of money talks?

Last week I paid a visit to my friend at hospital, she suffered the operation, I mean the oral health! You know, oral health now gets more and more important! If we don’t develop a good habbit into this, we will get the pain for a long time! Meanwhile, what I want to say is the opsigenes, somebody tell me that Paracetamol for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth!

Paracetamol has been commonly used for the relief of postoperative pain following oral surgery. In this review we investigated the optimal dose of paracetamol and the optimal time for drug administration to provide pain relief, taking into account the side effects of different doses of the drug. This will inform dentists and their patients of the best strategy for pain relief after the surgical removal of wisdom teeth. To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of paracetamol for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth, compared to placebo, at different doses and administered postoperatively.

The result like this: Twenty-one trials met the inclusion criteria. A total of 2048 patients were initially enrolled in the trials (1148 received paracetamol, and 892 the placebo) and of these 1968 (96%) were included in the meta-analysis (1133 received paracetamol, and 835 the placebo). Paracetamol provided a statistically significant benefit when compared with placebo for pain relief and pain intensity at both 4 and 6 hours. Most studies were found to have moderate risk of bias, with poorly reported allocation concealment being the main problem. Risk ratio values for pain relief at 4 hours 2.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.89 to 4.29), and at 6 hours 3.32 (95% CI 1.88 to 5.87). A statistically significant benefit was also found between up to 1000 mg and 1000 mg doses, the higher the dose giving greater benefit for each measure at both time points. There was no statistically significant difference between the number of patients who reported adverse events, overall this being 19% in the paracetamol group and 16% in the placebo group.

Finally we got the conclusion: Paracetamol is a safe, effective drug for the treatment of postoperative pain following the surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth. From the introduction above, it’s persuasive for all of us that who care about the wisdom teeth! In my eyes, most of us would experience that one day! Then knowing more details about oral health is essential! It’s the inevitable part for us!