Oral and Periodontal Health in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and Other Forms of Dementia - A Cross-sectional Pilot Study.

Purpose: Systemic inflammation is characteristic for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is responsible for the accumulation of its disease-specific Tau-protein and β-amyloid plaques. Studies focusing on an association with periodontitis showed worse periodontal conditions in patients with dementia, but until now, no study has investigated the differences between AD and other forms of dementia (noAD/DEM). Expecting severe periodontal disease in AD, the aim of this pilot-study was to compare the periodontal and dental status in patients with either AD or noAD/DEM.