

Lose your teeth, lose your mind - mikecane
http://www.physorg.com/news191861416.html

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DrSprout
Seems to me they likely have the causality reversed. As your mental acuity
decreases, your ability to properly care for your teeth decreases. You forget
to brush as often as you should, and so you lose more teeth. Also your
brushing effectiveness could be reduced, as evaluating whether further
brushing is necessary is not an entirely trivial task.

~~~
Detrus
Probably not. I had gum disease and cavities when I was 20 after brushing
everyday and using Listerine. Maybe I sucked at brushing and didn't know it,
either way my brain got screwed.

~~~
ahoyhere
Some people just have weak teeth.

You might also have a dietary problem -- or calcium deficiency.

There were no women in the study, which is interesting, because women often
have huge teeth problems during and after pregnancy. (And breaking small
bones!) This happens if their calcium is not managed effectively.

~~~
klochner
Clearly we need a test of female cognition during and after pregnancy.

~~~
ahoyhere
I suspect you would find many women are mentally impaired during pregnancy,
based on my anecdotal experience. The hormones screw up your brain.

But, of course, that's irrelevant, since the men who lost teeth in the OP's
study weren't tested for cognition deficits the second they lost a teeth. It
was an ex post facto observed link --- and they don't know why.

So my comment had lots of good sense in it, while yours had none.

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ams6110
Best thing I've found for oral hygiene is a Water Pik. It will really flush
out your gums. Use lukewarm water, tap cold is painful at least for me. You
can put some mouthwash it it too if you like.

Since I've been using one my dentist has remarked on the noticeable
improvement in my gum health.

EDIT: This is in addition to regular brushing of course.

~~~
kowen
I second (third?) this. You can also use a ViaJet (some people prefer it).

You can use salt and/or baking soda as antibacterials in the water you use for
irrigation.

If you add irrigation to your routine, you may want to switch out dental floss
with dental tape and "buff" your teeth (floss:tape as thread:ribbon - buffing
with a thread doesn't work too well). Makes a huge difference in the buildup
of plaque.

Lastly, disclosing tablets or solution (picking one at random from amazon:
<http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W6LW6I>) is not just for kids. Using it for a
few weeks or months could help you see where your tooth brushing technique is
a bit weak.

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snth
I wonder if high sugar intake could be the common cause for both problems.

~~~
sdrinf
Or smoking _cough_.

~~~
muddylemon
Or class - which strongly correlates with diet and smoking along with
education, mental stimulation through your occupation, medical care, etc.

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JohnnyBrown
How is this anything more than a correlation? I saw nothing at all in support
of a causal link.

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mikecane
Dr. Weston A. Price was a big advocate of teeth leading to other health
problems long ago.

His book at PG-Australia is worth a look:
<http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html>

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Vivtek
Excuse me, I have to go brush my teeth.

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rsheridan6
It could have something to do with bacteria. If you have poor dental hygiene
or bleeding gums, you get bacteria in your blood. This is most known for
causing endocarditis (infection of the heart), but who knows what else the
bacteria, or the body's reaction to them, could cause?

~~~
adrianwaj
Other things I've heard that can cause serious problems are root canals. Once
done, they can be a breeding ground for bacteria. I think it depends a lot on
how it's done.

Also, mercury-amalgam fillings might problematic if somehow they seep into the
body. Or, when a tooth is lost, what gets put in its place?

~~~
jrockway
_when a tooth is lost, what gets put in its place_

Gold or ceramic:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_bridge>

