Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body- Alzheimer’s According to Alzheimer’s Association, 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer. It is 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage. It leads to dementia which is a group of symptoms associated with memory loss, loss of thinking, remembering and reasoning. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80 % of dementia cases. So why me, a dentist, is talking about a brain disease Alzheimer's? It is because we are finding oral bacteria called spirochetes in Alzheimer patient’s brains! Studies have shown that 90% of patients with Alzheimer’s disease have oral spirochetes found in their brain. That’s right, a bad oral bacteria called spirochetes may cause Alzheimer’s and more and more studies are being released. It’s a simple concept, really. Our mouth is the gateway to the whole body. Oral bacteria travels to our blood stream and to our brain, causing detrimental diseases. So think twice before you want to skip brushing your teeth before going to bed. You do not want to leave bad bacteria in your mouth and have it travel to your brain! Call today to set up your dental hygiene appointment.