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posted by martyb on Monday April 08 2019, @04:57AM   Printer-friendly
from the You-know-the-drill dept.

Researchers are reporting that the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis, the cause of the most serious form of gum disease, "can travel throughout the body, exuding toxins connected with Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and aspiration pneumonia."

While previous researchers have noted the presence of P. gingivalis in brain samples from Alzheimer's patients, [new research from the team of Jan Potempa, PhD, DSc, a professor at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and head of the department of microbiology at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland], in collaboration with Cortexyme, Inc., offers the strongest evidence to date that the bacterium may actually contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Potempa will present the research at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting during the 2019 Experimental Biology meeting, held April 6-9 in Orlando, Fla.

The research confirmed higher incidence of the bacteria in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease vs. those without, and also showed in mice studies that P. gingivalis can migrate from the mouth to the brain. Potential blocking pathways are already being studied to prevent this.

P. gingivalis commonly begins to infiltrate the gums during the teenage years. About one in five people under age 30 have low levels of the bacterium in their gums. While it is not harmful in most people, if it grows to large numbers the bacteria provoke the body's immune system to create inflammation, leading to redness, swelling, bleeding and the erosion of gum tissue.

The bacterium is also implicated in other ailments such as autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and aspiration pneumonia.

General dental hygiene is the best approach to prevent the bacteria from growing out of control. You know the drill - Brush, floss, and see your dentist regularly.


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