Bacteria and Your Brain: Step Up Your Oral Hygiene
We’ve spent billions of dollars on hundreds of Alzheimer’s studies with nothing to show for it. That’s because we were headed in the wrong direction.
Now, we know that the brain is bi-directional with the rest of the body and that things like sleep, diet, our social lives, our microbiome, and so much more are related to the onset, severity, and even reversal of neurodegenerative diseases.
Oral bacteria is one of those things that we have discovered that may impact Alzheimer’s, specifically Porphyromonas gingivalis, the bacteria present in the most serious form of gum disease. Researchers found this bacteria can travel from the mouth to the brain, creating toxins called gingipains that cause damage to human proteins and destroy brain cells and nerves, and is more common in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s than those without. (1)
Porphyromonas gingivalis is actually present in many people but, like other types of bacteria, it becomes a problem when it overgrows. This is how periodontitis happens, with inflamed, eroding, bleeding gums, and just chewing can spread it into the bloodstream.
But here is the good news—good oral hygiene can help. (2) Simply brushing and flossing regularly and keeping up with dentist appointments can have major implications for your brain. If you have a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s you’re going to want to be extra savvy about your dental health. The same goes for those with rheumatoid arthritis, since Porphyromonas gingivalis may also play a role in the progression of that disease as well. (3)
Bacteria and Chronic Disease
And this is just one type of bacteria! There are thousands upon thousands of species present in the human body, impacting all areas of it. For example, gut bacteria can influence neurotransmitter activity and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. (4)
It’s clear we have a lot to learn about the role of bacteria in chronic disease, but that also opens up the door for many exciting new modalities for preventing and healing those same diseases.
I always want people to feel empowered, not overwhelmed when it comes to the future of their health. I hope this information helps you take positive action by starting with your dental health, today.
Also, read...
The Telomere Effect: Taking Charge of Your Cellular Aging
Mar 08 – Sarah Warren
6 Yogic Tips to Help Boost Immunity
Mar 03 – Kristine Kaoverii Weber, MA, C-IAYT, eRYT500, YACEP
When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection
Feb 20 – Sarah Warren
Related courses
Somatic Yoga for Fascial Unwinding
With James Knight
Need an Energy Makeover? How Yoga Can Help You Boost Vitality
With Olga Kabel
Keys to Finding Inner Strength: A Yogic Wisdom Path to Developing Greater Resilience
With Arielle Schwartz
Reprinted with permission from Mark Hyman, MD.
Dr. Mark Hyman is leading a health revolution—one revolved around using food as medicine to support longevity, energy, mental clarity, happiness, and so much more. Dr. Hyman is a practicing family physician and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of Functional Medicine. He is the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, the Head of Strategy and Innovation of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, a twelve-time New York Times bestselling author, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine. He is the host of one of the leading health podcasts, The Doctor’s Farmacy. Dr. Hyman is a regular medical contributor on several television shows and networks, including CBS This Morning, Today, Good Morning America, The View, and CNN. He is also an advisor and guest co-host on The Dr. Oz Show. We’ve spent billions of dollars on hundreds of Alzheimer’s studies with nothing to show for it. That’s because we were headed in the wrong direction.
Resources
- Experimental Biology. (2019, April 7). Gum bacteria implicated in Alzheimer’s and other diseases: Scientists trace path of bacterial toxins from the mouth to the brain and other tissues. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 8, 2020, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190407144231.htm
- The University of Bergen. (2019, June 3). Brush your teeth — postpone Alzheimer’s. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 8, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190603102549.htm
- Scher, J. U., & Abramson, S. B. (2013). Periodontal disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and rheumatoid arthritis: what triggers autoimmunity and clinical disease?. Arthritis research & therapy, 15(5), 122. doi:10.1186/ar4360
- Dehhaghi, M., Kazemi Shariat Panahi, H., & Guillemin, G. J. (2018). Microorganisms’ Footprint in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Frontiers in cellular neuroscience, 12, 466. doi:10.3389/fncel.2018.00466
Recent articles
Create Mobility in the Upper Body With Puppy Pose Yoga 2.0
Mar 27 – Leah Sugerman, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Yoga for Cancer Survivors: Keys to Improving Wellbeing and Managing Lingering Side Effects
Mar 22 – Eva Norlyk Smith, Ph.D.
Better Balance in Yoga: It’s Not Just Tree Pose
Mar 20 – Ellen Saltonstall C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
Categories
Upcoming courses
Somatic Yoga for Fascial Unwinding
With James Knight
Need an Energy Makeover? How Yoga Can Help You Boost Vitality
With Olga Kabel
Recent articles
Almost there...
Sorry, we couldn't find anything...
Yoga Practice Tips
Create Mobility in the Upper Body With Puppy Pose Yoga 2.0
Puppy Pose, also known as Uttana Shishosana or sometimes called Anahatasana, is a great…
Mar 27 – Leah Sugerman, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Yoga for Cancer
Yoga for Cancer Survivors: Keys to Improving Wellbeing and Managing Lingering Side Effects
As detection and treatment modalities improve, more and more people are surviving cancer or…
Mar 22 – Eva Norlyk Smith, Ph.D.
Yoga Practice Tips
Better Balance in Yoga: It’s Not Just Tree Pose
“Balance is associated with longevity because it requires keeping your brain and nervous system’s…
Mar 20 – Ellen Saltonstall C-IAYT, E-RYT 500