Going to Dentist Good For Your Memory?

Everyone knows that brushing your teeth and going to the dentist are musts for good oral health. But now some researchers are saying they could be good for your memory.

Reuters writes that a new study finds a link between gum disease, which causes inflammation in the body, and mental function. Good dental care may help aging adults keep their thinking skills in tip-top shape.

The research, conducted by the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, found that adults 60 and older who had the highest levels of the gum-disease causing pathogen Porphyromonas had the hardest time recalling a sequence of three words over time. They also were two times more likely to fail three-digit reverse subtraction tests.

"Although results presented here are preliminary and inconclusive, a growing body of evidence supports exploration of a possible association between poor oral health and incident dementia," wrote the researchers.

Prior research has shown a connection between good oral health and heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Doctors aren't sure entirely sure of how gum disease is connected with the hardening of arteries. But WebMD writes that bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream through the gums. That same bacteria sticks to the fatty deposits in people's arteries, thus contributing to blockages. Another possibility is that the body fights bacteria entering the bloodstream by becoming inflammed. When blood cells swell, it can also cause a narrowing of the arteries.