A Possible Connection between Neurodegenerative Disorders and Periodontitis: Review of Literature and Controversies

Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease that causes destruction to the supporting structure of the teeth and leads to a state of chronic inflammation. The chemical mediators, the bacteria from oral ecological niches, and their toxins released in the process may invade the peripheral nerves and breach the blood–brain barrier inducing neuroinflammation. This insults the neuronal nexus, alters the amino acid organization of the nerve fibers, and affects the synaptic mechanism of signal transfer, leading to neurodegenerative disorders. Much the same, neuroinflammatory disorders can lead to periodontitis as such patients display motor and cognitive impairment which can lead to difficulty in proper maintaining oral hygiene with less manual dexterity suggesting a bidirectional connection. Considering the possible linkage, this article is an attempt to highlight the association between the two disorders and the relating controversies.