Straight Teeth in Less Time
Alzheimer's Disease And Dental Bacteria
Lois Murray
Alzheimer's is a nasty disease. It usually starts by slowly feeding on a person's memory. And as time goes by, it picks up the pace and soon without knowing it, the person finds it difficult to not only retain the best memories of his or her life, but also make simple judgment calls.
No cure
The sad bit about the Alzheimer's story is that while there are different medications that can help to manage symptoms of the disease, there is no cure—at least not yet. But while scientists work on finding a cure, the disease continues to ruin people's lives. And the worst part about it is that there is little that one can do except try to manage the symptoms of the disease.
A study
But what if there was something that you could do? What if it were possible to keep the disease at bay by maintaining a simple daily routine?
A group of scientists who had been studying the disease made an interesting discovery. They found a certain type of bacteria in the brains of people with dementia. What was interesting was that this bacteria also has a reputation for causing dental infections.
Collateral damage
The scientists suspect that it is this bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, that may be responsible for the nastiest symptom of the disease: memory loss. They believe that this bacteria, that primarily exists in the mouth, usually finds its way to a person's brain. Being an uninvited guest in the brain area usually triggers a reaction from the body's immune system.
In the course of trying to defend the brain against the intruding bacteria, some nerve cells usually die. And it is this brain cell death that they believe is the likely cause of memory loss. Simply put, memory loss usually occurs because of the collateral damage that ensues when a person's brain tries to protect itself. Therefore, if a person can prevent the battle for the brain from happening, he or she can altogether prevent this symptom.
A breath of good news
The sample size that was used for the study was small. The calls for additional studies are therefore understandable. Either way, the findings are a much needed breath of good news.
It turns out that there is something that you can do about the disease. By simply brushing your teeth, flossing them from time to time, and eating healthy meals, you can reduce the chances of contracting Alzheimer's. For more information, contact your dentist (such as Morrell M Russell DMD).
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.