A recent article from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found a significant association between tooth loss and dementia. Those who can no longer chew food have a higher likelihood of developing dementia. Gum disease creates a bacterial shower in your circulatory system. This bacterial shower is linked to many systemic diseases such as dementia, diabetes, and arthritis. Maintaining your oral health hosts a great number of benefits for the rest of your body, and the results of this latest research joins a long list of reasons to take care of your teeth.
How Chewing can Influence Development of Dementia
How are tooth loss and dementia linked? The prevailing theory regarding how an act as simple as chewing can affect something as serious as brain health, is that when we chew, we stimulate blood flow to the brain. This suggests that people who don’t do as much chewing – that is people with few, or no teeth – have less blood flow to the brain, and thus an increased chance of developing dementia. A team of Swedish researchers set out to test this idea by gathering 557 study participants over the age of 77, to determine whether their ability to chew was correlated in any way with their cognitive abilities. Even after controlling for factors such as education, mental health (as opposed to cognitive function), sex, and age, researchers found that those with difficulty chewing hard foods, were at an increased risk for developing dementia.
Stave Off Tooth Loss and Dementia, Beautify Your Smile
Dr. Fondriest offers an array of high quality dental options to get your jaw back to work, and the blood flowing to your brain. Your dentist can help you determine what option will be best to restore your missing or poorly functioning teeth. From dental implants to dental bridges, or dental crowns that can help restore strength to your teeth, your Lake Forest dentist can help you find the procedure that is best for your mouth, and your brain too.
Are you worried about loosing teeth?
If you have been looking for the solution to your gapped smile, or simply want to chew pain-free, please give our dental office a call today. You can set up appointments with us at (847)234-0517. We gladly serve patients from the greater Chicago area.