Recently, an article appeared on the internet, which reported on a study which claimed to show a possible link between one of the bacteria that cause periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. That is because they found this particular bacteria in the amyloid plaques that are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s Disease.
In certain ways, this would be fantastic news because, until now, the cause of Alzheimer's disease has eluded researchers. It is a devastating illness which causes tremendous suffering to the affected individuals as well as those around them (maybe more so), costs for care are astronomical, and there is no known treatment or cure.
On the other hand, this is just one study and, if the findings are accurate, it does not prove cause and effect. It may only be an association or coincidence. One could make the case that people that have Alzheimer’s Disease are probably not taking great care of their mouths (nor is it likely that others are brushing and flossing their teeth for them). Therefore the bacterial load in their mouths becomes overwhelming, some of these bacteria spill into the bloodstream and end up embedded in the amyloid plaques that form in their brains.
Once again, as with the association between periodontal disease and heart attacks and strokes that I have discussed previously, we must await further research. It is also possible that we may never have a definitive, controlled study proving cause and effect since we can't tell a group of individuals to stop brushing and flossing for an extended period of time and then follow them for years to see what happens. It seems to me that the best answer is that this may be all connected, like the hip bone to the leg bone, and controlling bacterial plaque build-up with regular brushing and flossing and regular periodontal maintenance cleanings will help you keep your teeth for a lifetime and may also help prevent things like Alzheimer's Disease.