With Teeth, Broken, or Fixed: The Challenges of Linking Periodontitis, Neuroepidemiology, and Biomarkers of Disease

Abstract

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory, bacterially-driven disease of the tooth-supporting tissues that shares several risk factors and elements of host response with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Epidemiological studies have identified relatively consistent associations between adverse oral health conditions and ADRD. In this issue of the journal, a large study from the UK Biobank further explores these relationships along with MRI cognitive biomarkers. Despite its strength due to the large sample size, challenges in the study of periodontitis and neuroepidemiology markers include potential sampling bias, appropriate assessment of exposures, and the possibility of reverse causality.