Your mouth is part of a larger system; as such, the state of your smile can often affect the rest of your body in unexpected ways. Recent evidence suggests that poor oral health could have a negative impact on the parts of the brain responsible for memory. Below is a closer look at this link and why taking care of your teeth and gums could make a difference for your brain health.
Oral Health and Your Memory
A 2023 study performed by the American Academy of Neurology looked at 172 patients with an average age of 67. The researchers checked each participant for gum disease and determined how many teeth they still had. The results of the study found that individuals with severe gum disease or missing teeth often experienced faster shrinkage of the left hippocampus in the brain.
Why is this significant? The left hippocampus plays an important role in memory. If it shrinks, it is often a warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease. People with this condition may have trouble recalling recent events and other types of information.
Further study is needed to completely understand the relationship between oral health and the brain. That said, some researchers believe that the harmful bacteria responsible for gum disease could play a role in memory loss. The bacteria in your gums can potentially enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain, where they may contribute to the inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Protecting Your Smile to Protect Your Brain
Naturally, maintaining a healthy smile in no way guarantees that you’ll never develop Alzheimer’s disease or similar issues. Nevertheless, the existing evidence suggests that taking care of your teeth and gums could help you keep your risk for memory problems as low as possible. In order to maintain good oral health, you should take the following steps:
- Brush your teeth a minimum of two times every day. Make sure you’re cleaning your entire smile, including the area where the teeth come in contact with the gum tissue.
- If you don’t already floss, you should make it part of your daily oral hygiene routine. Flossing allows you to remove plaque and tartar in the nooks and crannies of your mouth that can’t be reached with a toothbrush.
- Visit your dentist for preventive care. Routine dental cleanings can help get rid of any plaque and tartar that you haven’t been able to remove on your own. Furthermore, your dentist can perform a thorough checkup in order to identify threats to your oral health while they’re still small and relatively easy to treat.
It’s important not to underestimate the impact that your mouth can have on your overall health. If you’re proactive about protecting your teeth and gums, it could ultimately have a positive impact on the health of your brain.
About the Practice
At Encinitas Dental Art, our dentists care about providing our patients with high-quality care to protect their oral health as well as their overall health. With routine cleanings and other preventive services, our team strives to help everyone who visits our office stay ahead of oral health issues before they start. If you need a new dentist for preventive care, visit our website, use our online booking tool, or call (760) 942-7272 today to schedule an appointment.