New study shows mouth bacteria could cause "direct damage to brain tissue" and accelerate Alzheimer's disease

A study published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience says a common oral bacteria (Fusobacterium nucleatum) might exacerbate the progression of Alzheimer's disease. New Atlas says the link between gum disease and Alzheimer's disease "sits on the fringes of dementia research" but that a " growing number of scientists have begun to take the idea somewhat seriously, and studies have slowly started to dig into the association."

From the study:

In vivo, in a mouse model of periodontitis, F. nucleatum accelerates the development of disease by promoting inflammatory responses in the brain, exacerbating the behavioral and pathological manifestations of the 5XFAD mice. As a periodontal pathogen, F. nucleatum accelerates the development of AD. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the study of the relationship between F. nucleatum and AD and lay a preliminary foundation for further exploring the mechanism of F. nucleatum impact on the onset and development of AD.

Time to floss!