DALLAS, US: According to a new study funded by the American Heart Association, there is an increased potential for incurring cerebrovascular disease by having a genetic predisposition for poor oral health. Researchers used the presence of white matter hyperintensities, (accumulated damage to the white matter in the brain), as evidence of cerebrovascular disease. Documented through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the scan results indicated that for people who were genetically prone to edentulism or dental caries, there was a 24% increase in white matter hyperintensities in their brains.
The white matter hyperintensities are linked to possible issues with balance, mobility and memory. The researchers also generated microstructural damage scores for those who participated in the study. Microstructural damage is the degree to which the fine architecture of the brain has changed in comparison with images for a normal brain scan of a healthy adult of a similar age.
Read the full article here:
New evidence suggests possible link between brain function and oral health