Dr. James Belcher, December 15, 2025

Does gum inflammation make our brain sick?

Can oral health really affect our brain? New studies suggest that bacteria from the mouth could play a role in Alzheimer's disease. Periodontitis bacteria, in particular, are the focus of research. In this article, you'll learn how gum bacteria can reach the brain – and what you can do about it.

Macht Zahnfleischentzündung unser Gehirn krank?

What's behind it?

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation of the gums, triggered by an imbalance in the oral microbiome (the community of microorganisms in your mouth). Certain bacteria, especially... Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis ), can attack the gums, cause deep gum pockets and thus lead to tooth loss in the long term.

Why is it relevant?

Periodontitis doesn't just affect the mouth. The production of inflammatory substances triggered by bacteria This also affects the brain; these substances cause problems there. for Neuroinflammation and the deposition of toxic proteins (Ahmet et al., 2025) . Research also shows: P. gingivalis and its toxins have been found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. This suggests that chronic gum inflammation not only accompanies Alzheimer's disease but may also promote it (Cichonska et al., 2024). 


Infobox
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia – and studies show that people with severe periodontitis have a significantly higher risk of developing it (Lee et al., 2020). 

Scientific background

Scientists discovered that P. gingivalis It produces so-called virulence factors – tools with which the bacterium tricks immune cells and destroys tissue. Studies have shown that mice infected with P. gingivalis Patients who were infected developed similar protein deposits (amyloid plaques) in the brain as Alzheimer's patients (Ciccotosto et al., 2024). At the same time, researchers confirmed that blocking bacterial activity reduced the toxic effects of P. gingivalis reduced, without disturbing the good bacteria in the mouth (Pedrosa et al., 2025).

Practical tips for everyday life

  • ✓ Thorough oral hygiene: Brush twice daily, use dental floss or interdental brushes (Chapple et al., 2015).
  • ✓ Go for regular preventative care: Professional teeth cleaning removes stubborn plaque (Sanz et al., 2015) . 
  • ✓ Take early signs seriously: Bleeding gums or bad breath can be warning signs (Salvi et al., 2023).

At a glance

ⓘ Periodontal bacteria can migrate to the brain .

ⓘ P. gingivalis is suspected of promoting Alzheimer's disease .

Sources

  • Ahmed MAE, Ahmed AH, Elmoghazy NH, Shaheraldin AA, Ghalwash D. Pathophysiological Insights Into the Oral-Brain Axis: Evidence-Based Mechanisms Connecting Periodontitis and Alzheimer's Disease. The European Journal of Neuroscience. 2025;62(12):e70366. doi:10.1111/ejn.70366.

  • Cichońska D, Mazuś M, Kusiak A. Recent Aspects of Periodontitis and Alzheimer's Disease–a Narrative Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024;25(5):2612. doi:10.3390/ijms25052612.

  • Chapple IL, Van der Weijden F, Doerfer C, et al. Primary Prevention of Periodontitis: Managing Gingivitis. Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 2015;42 Suppl 16:S71–S76. doi:10.1111/jcpe.12366.

  • Ciccotosto GD, Mohammed A, Paolini R, Bijlsma E, Toulson S, Holden J, Reynolds EC, Dashper SG, Butler CA. Chronic Oral Inoculation of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola Induce Different Brain Pathologies in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2024;230(Suppl_2):S109–S116. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiae286.

  • Eick S, Taudte N, Ramsbeck D, Magdon A, Sculean A, Potempa J, Buchholz M. Effect of a bacterial glutaminyl cyclase inhibitor on multi-species biofilms. Frontiers in Oral Health. 2025. doi:10.3389/froh.2025.1716625.

  • Pedrosa ME, Martin V, Fernandes MH, Gomes PS. Gingipain Inhibitors as an Innovative Therapy for Periodontal and Associated-Systemic Diseases: A Systematic Review. Clinical Oral Investigations. 2025;29(9):418. doi:10.1007/s00784-025-06472-5.

  • Salvi GE, Roccuzzo A, Imber JC, et al. Clinical Periodontal Diagnosis. Periodontology 2000. 2023. doi:10.1111/prd.12487.

  • Sanz M, Bäumer A, Buduneli N, et al. Effect of Professional Mechanical Plaque Removal on Secondary Prevention of Periodontitis and the Complications of Gingival and Periodontal Preventive Measures: Consensus Report of Group 4 of the 11th European Workshop on Periodontology on Effective Prevention of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases. Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 2015;42 Suppl 16:S214–S220. doi:10.1111/jcpe.12367.

  • Lee CY, Chang CC, Lin CS, et al. Risk of Dementia in Patients With Periodontitis and Related Protective Factors: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study. Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 2020;47(12):1428–1436. doi:10.1111/jcpe.13372. 

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