{"id":46,"date":"2024-08-15T16:35:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T16:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alluredentalboutique.com\/blog\/?p=46"},"modified":"2024-09-10T04:36:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T04:36:09","slug":"the-link-between-oral-and-brain-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alluredentalboutique.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/15\/the-link-between-oral-and-brain-health\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sharp Smile, A Sharper Mind: The Link Between Oral and Brain Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Even if a strong smile<\/a> seems nice, you may value a healthy mind more. That\u2019s a natural feeling \u2013 things like memory and focus do a lot to define a person\u2019s identity. Still, you don\u2019t have to choose between a sharp grin and sharp thinking; getting one helps you get the other. That said, here\u2019s a primer on the link between oral and brain health, why it exists, and how to take advantage of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Oral Health & Brain Health Relate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A healthy grin won\u2019t just help you feel more confident, though it should do that. It\u2019ll also contribute to a sound mind by improving your brain health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This finding comes from a 2023 study published in Neurology\u00ae<\/em> \u2013 the American Academy of Neurology\u2019s medical journal. Based on their research, the study authors found that gum disease and tooth loss were linked to brain shrinkage in the hippocampus. Damage to this brain region is known to gravely harm memory and contribute to Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Given that fact, it seems a patient\u2019s oral health can impact the quality of their brain\u2019s health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Connects Your Mouth & Brain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the study didn\u2019t claim oral health directly affects the brain, that\u2019s the natural conclusion to have. There\u2019s reason to believe your smile\u2019s condition affects how your gray matter is faring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This recent study supports the theory that inflammation connects the mouth and brain. After all, it\u2019s already known gum disease bacteria can spread to a person\u2019s other organs. Those same microbes could reach brain tissue and inflame it, causing its mass to shrink. This shrinkage would then cause a decline in memory and similar effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Keep Your Mouth & Brain Healthy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the above research holds, you can keep your mouth and brain healthy at once. Just remember to do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n