09/13/2025
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Scientists are starting to suspect that Alzheimer’s disease may not only be an issue of aging brains — it could actually have its roots in the mouth. Growing evidence suggests that chronic gum disease might set off a chain reaction leading to Alzheimer’s.
In a landmark 2019 study, researchers at the University of Louisville identified Porphyromonas gingivalis — the main bacteria behind persistent gum infections — inside the brains of people who had died with Alzheimer’s. Even more striking, the same bacterial toxins were detected in the brains of individuals with no dementia symptoms, hinting that damage could begin many years before memory loss appears.
Animal studies reinforced these concerns: when mice were exposed to this gum bacterium, it didn’t stay confined to the mouth. Instead, it migrated to the brain, elevated amyloid-beta proteins tied to Alzheimer’s, and triggered inflammation. In the same research, a new drug, COR388, was tested — it successfully reduced the bacterial load in the brain and lowered amyloid buildup in mice, raising hopes that such therapies might one day slow or even prevent the disease.
While scientists caution that it’s still too early to confirm gum disease as a direct cause of Alzheimer’s, these discoveries are significant. They turn the old assumption upside down — rather than dementia leading to poor oral hygiene, it may be oral bacteria quietly infiltrating the brain and sparking damage long before memory decline begins.
📄 Research Reference
PMID: 30746447
PMCID: PMC6357742
