Parodontitis commonly known as gum infection or gum recession, is an inflammatory disease of the soft tissues that support our teeth, caused by bacteria in dental plaque. Chief symptoms include bleeding gums, bad breath, receding gums and loose teeth. If not properly treated, this disease can lead to tooth loss, while its symptoms can also often occur when we brush teeth or eat. The underlying causes for periodontitis include poor oral hygiene, tartar buildup and smoking, while genetic predisposition may also have a role in developing the condition.
The Board of Trustees of the Count István Tisza Foundation for the University of Debrecen, which maintains the University of Debrecen, recognized the work of the researchers at UD’s Faculty of Health Sciences with a Publication Award. In their research, the experts concluded that periodontitis might contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases through genetic mechanisms. This risk is most prevalent and common among older adults suffering from the disease.
An important role in the research project has been undertaken by Ghanem Amr Sayed, a teaching assistant in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Medicine. He pointed out in an interview with hirek.unideb.hu that, since the oral cavity is not a separate area from the rest of the human body, what happens in the mouth does not necessarily stay there.
- During the course of this research project, we investigated if chronic periodontal disease can be linked to the later onset of neurodegenerative diseases and if it remains an independent risk factor if we take into account the age, cardiovascular diseases and other comorbidities of the patients. These risks tend to constitute an increasingly significant public health burden, as there is no definitive, curative treatment at present for most of these diseases, like, for example, Alzheimer’s. This is why it is extremely important to identify first the modifiable factors that may influence the onset of these incurable diseases. Prevention is of key importance because regular dental checkups and maintaining careful oral hygiene can indeed help to prevent these problems- said the expert.
The research project was conducted as a secondary data analysis based on patient data from the Clinical Center of the University of Debrecen recorded between 2012 and 2022. The medical histories of the patients were examined to determine whether they suffered from periodontitis or not, following which they were then divided into two groups accordingly. During the analysis of the information available, the researchers focused primarily on how various degenerative diseases develop over time. The final analysis comprised a total of 29,918 documented care episodes from as many as 4,886 different patients. The inclusion criterion was the availability of at least two recorded hospital care instances, while the follow-up period extended from each of these patient’s first documented care through the diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease, the last recorded care or the endpoint of the study in 2022.
Patients who had a documented neuro-degenerative disease at the beginning of the project were excluded, and the study then examined the incidence of newly diagnosed neurodegenerative diseases during follow-up. Among patients diagnosed with periodontal disease afterwards, the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases turned out to be 43 percent higher than among those without periodontal disease.
- The health of the oral cavity is not just a matter of teeth. It is linked to the health of the entire human body, which is why regular oral care, general health maintenance, and routine checkups of your gums are of vital importance. It is not a normal condition if your gums bleed. Because periodontitis is not painful in the beginning, a lot of people decide to see a doctor only when they start experiencing pain. Unfortunately, this means that, by then, it may already be too late- said the teaching assistant.
Ghanem Amr Sayed underlined that the primary goal of the research was to raise awareness of the risks of neurodegenerative diseases associated with periodontitis within international and domestic healthcare systems. He reckoned that the publication of the research findings and their application in society could have a significant impact, influence health policy and lead to a greater emphasis on prevention and more focused care pathways. He also emphasized that oral health checkups could be integrated into enhanced preventive healthcare. This area should also play a greater part of primary care, with gum bleeding and tooth decay becoming central topics. All in all, frequent dental visits should be made a regular part of patient care. In addition, he noted that identifying oral health problems in time can also draw attention to an increasing risk of other chronic, non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, and can facilitate their earlier detection and coordinated care.
The article about this study, titled “Analysis of Molecular Aspects of Periodontitis as a Risk Factor for Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Single-Center 10-Year Retrospective Cohort Study,” was published in English in International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
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