Crazy but true.

British scientists report finding signs of gum-disease bacteria in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The new study adds to a rapidly growing body of evidence strongly linking periodontal (gum) disease to greatly increased risk for the memory-robbing disorder.

Byproducts of this bacterium, known as Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), were found in brain samples of four out of ten Alzheimer’s patients, but not in samples from ten people of similar age without dementia, according to the study published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

As someone who has a close friend with this disease, this hits particularly close to home. I sent her family this article, I hope you'll spread it around too.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhe ... alzheimers

amazing how something as simple as brushing your teeth properly (something our parents have been trying to convince us to do since we were 2) could help prevent such a horrid disease.

I think people would be surprised at how much bad dental care can affect their health.

Your immune system works overtime to protect your body from all the nastiness that happens in the gums - and you're talking about an area that's VERY close to the brain. Not hard for bad stuff to cross the blood-brain barrier.

People with cardiac issues need to be extra-careful, as the bad bacteria involved in gum / dental disease seem to be particularly adept at attacking the heart.

I just have the worst feeling that a close member of the family will suffer from Alzheimer's. Horrible fact of life.