SimplyTest

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to talk about a connection many people still don’t know enough about: the link between oral health and brain health.

Research has been building around P. gingivalis, a key periodontal pathogen associated with gum disease. Studies have identified its toxic enzymes, called gingipains, in Alzheimer’s brain tissue, and its DNA has been detected in cerebrospinal fluid samples from people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

The mouth is not separate from the rest of the body.

Periodontal disease is preventable and treatable, and understanding what’s happening below the gumline can be an important part of caring for whole-body health.

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.