Dental
Episodes
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses GLP-1 agonists, alpha-lipoic acid, ubiquinone vs. ubiquinol, calcium needs, and liquid biopsy cancer screening.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses GLP-1 agonists, alpha-lipoic acid, ubiquinone vs. ubiquinol, calcium needs, and liquid biopsy cancer screening.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
Topic Pages
News & Publications
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Frequent use of common household chemicals—including fluoride-based anti-caries agents, air fresheners, and disinfectants—increases the risk of cognitive decline in older adults. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Cognitive decline—especially among older adults with dementia—can profoundly affect a person’s quality of life and increase their dependency on others. Evidence suggests that environmental exposures influence the risk of dementia. A recent study found that certain household chemicals, widely used for personal hygiene, cleaning, and disinfecting, may pose an unexpected risk for cognitive decline** in older adults.
Researchers analyzed data from a large cohort study of adults over 65. They evaluated how frequently the participants used eight common household chemicals, including insecticides, air fresheners, and disinfectants, and then examined whether these products were linked to declines in cognitive function.
They found that frequent use of anti-caries agents raised the likelihood of developing cognitive decline by 68%, while frequent use of air fresheners increased it by 148%, and disinfectants raised it by 40%. In general, more frequent chemical use was linked with worsening cognitive function.
Anti-caries agents prevent or reduce the development of dental caries, also known as cavities or tooth decay. Common anti-caries agents include fluoride mouth rinses, toothpaste formulations, and dental varnishes or sealants. Air fresheners contain various indoor pollutants, including phthalates and benzene. When these substances react with ozone, they create harmful byproducts that can harm the central nervous system. Sulforaphane, a bioactive compound derived from broccoli, boosts the excretion of pollutants like benzene. Learn more in this clip featuring Dr. Jed Fahey.
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Vitamin D promotes tooth remineralization, reducing the risk of cavities. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Tooth decay – a risk factor for cavities and tooth loss – often begins as white spots on the enamel, an early sign of demineralization. Strategies that promote tooth remineralization can reduce the need for invasive dental procedures. A 2022 study found that vitamin D promotes tooth remineralization, potentially reducing the risk of cavities.
Researchers gave 40 healthy adults vitamin D supplements (1,000 IU) for six weeks. They collected saliva samples from the participants at the beginning of the intervention and again at the third and sixth weeks. They exposed healthy, extracted teeth to an acidic solution to mimic the changes in pH that normally occur in the mouth in response to foods and beverages, causing demineralization. Then, they exposed the teeth to the saliva samples for 12 hours and assessed their mineral content, a measure of hardness.
They found that the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the teeth decreased considerably after exposure to the acidic solution – an indicator of demineralization. However, both minerals increased in the teeth after exposure to saliva collected from participants taking vitamin D.
These findings suggest that vitamin D promotes tooth remineralization, potentially reducing the risk of cavities. They also align with other findings showing that vitamin D helps treat gingivitis (gum disease), a major cause of tooth loss.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and hormone that participates in many physiological processes, including calcium balance, blood pressure regulation, immune function, and cell growth. Poor vitamin D status drives the pathogenesis of many acute and chronic diseases, including rickets, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Learn more about vitamin D in our comprehensive overview article.
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Poor oral health may triple Alzheimer's disease risk. www.brainandlife.org
Oral health is intricately linked to overall well-being, with emerging research identifying associations between poor oral health and an increased risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. A recent study found that oral diseases associated with tooth loss more than tripled the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers assessed Alzheimer’s disease risk among more than 32 million people. They categorized the participants as having normal or poor oral health and assessed serum biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s, including blood glucose, lipids, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation).
They found that more than 1.2 million participants had poor oral health, while the remainder had normal oral health. Those with poor oral health were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those with normal oral health, regardless of age, gender, or serum biomarkers. Those with oral conditions associated with tooth loss were more than three times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
The findings from this large epidemiological study suggest that poor oral health markedly increases a person’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. In vitro research further supports these findings, demonstrating that oral bacteria colonize the brain and release toxins that disrupt the blood-brain barrier, impairing its function and increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s. And research in mice shows that oral bacteria over-stimulate microglia, impairing their ability to eliminate amyloid-beta, a harmful protein linked to Alzheimer’s.
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Microglia's Alzheimer's defense impaired by oral bacteria, study reveals. www.sciencedaily.com
Microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells, play a vital role in managing brain inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases by eliminating amyloid-beta, a harmful protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and forming barriers around insoluble amyloid-beta deposits. A new study in mice shows that oral bacteria over-stimulate microglia, impairing their anti-amyloid properties.
Researchers induced periodontal disease in mice by placing ligatures around their teeth, creating an environment conducive to bacterial growth. Then they examined the effects of the disease on the animals' gums, bones, and microglial cells. They found that the gum infections caused progressive periodontal disease and bone loss in the mice. In addition, the severity of periodontal disease correlated with increased microglial cell activation in the brain. Then, the researchers exposed microglial cells to bacteria from the animals' infected gums. They found that this exposure increased inflammation and changes in the cells' ability to interact with amyloid-beta.
These findings suggest that periodontal disease influences the brain’s immune response via changes in microglial activation and their interactions with amyloid-beta. This link between gum and brain health underscores the potential importance of oral hygiene in preventing or managing neuroinflammatory conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Related studies have found that oral bacteria colonize the brain and release toxins that disrupt the blood-brain barrier, impairing its function and increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Learn more about the role of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease in this episode featuring Dr. Axel Montagne.