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$1.3 Million for Alzheimer’s – Oral Health Link Research

July 21st, 2009 · No Comments

According to the Alzheimer’s Association,

  • Up to 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s
  • Alzheimer’s and dementia triple healthcare costs for those over 65
  • One person develops Alzheimer’s every 70 seconds
  • $148 billion annually is spent on Alzheimer’s and dementias by Medicare, Medicaid, and businesses
  • Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death

shutterstock_114360971In 2008, researchers discovered a connection between gum disease and mild memory loss. The public has become more aware of the oral health – whole health link in recent years, but medical and dental professionals have long been aware of the link. Little research has been completed to determine the specific relation between oral health and mental function.

The British Health Foundation has granted $1.3 million for research to be led by Dr. Bei Wu of University of North Carolina and Dr. Richard Crout of University of West Virginia. This is a first step in what the British Health Foundation, and medical professionals across the globe, hope will spawn more research in the critical area of preventive healthcare.

See the British Dental Health Foundation’s press release here.

Download the Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures 2009 here.

If your dental office team would like to help raise funds for Alzheimer’s research, consider sponsoring a Memory Walk in your community. Watch this video for information, then visit www. alz.org to learn more.

Tags: Clinical

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