A study published in Neurology suggests a potential link between good dental health and better brain health. The study found that gum disease and tooth loss were associated with brain shrinkage in the hippocampus, a region important for memory and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the study does not establish causation, only an association between dental conditions and brain health. The research involved 172 participants without memory issues, who underwent dental exams, memory tests, and brain scans. The findings indicated that the number of teeth and gum disease were related to changes in the left hippocampus, with mild gum disease associated with faster brain shrinkage when fewer teeth were present, and severe gum disease associated with faster brain shrinkage when more teeth were present. Preserving dental health and managing gum disease through regular dental visits were emphasized as important for brain health. The study’s limitations include the need for larger studies and the fact that it was conducted in a specific region of Japan, potentially impacting generalizability.
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Take Care of Your Teeth for Brain Health
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