Alexandra Adeline-Zamurcă, Lidia-Maria Condur, Sorina-Mihaela Solomon
ABSTRACT
Recent studies have highlighted the existence of a significant link between periodontal disease and mental disorders, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Periodontal disease, considered a chronic multifactorial inflammatory condition, causes a systemic inflammatory response that can influence neurodegenerative processes. Chronic inflammation and the resulting proinflammatory cytokines can activate cerebral microglia, affecting neurogenesis and favoring the onset of cognitive disorders. The presence of periodontal pathogens, in particular Porphyromonasgingivalis, Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia, has been demonstrated in brain tissues of Alzheimer’s patients, supporting the hypothesis of a direct link between oral infections and neurological impairment. In the case of patients with schizophrenia, antipsychotic medication and poor oral hygiene increase susceptibility to periodontitis, while systemic inflammation can amplify psychotic symptoms. The relationship between depression and periodontal disease is bidirectional, with each condition influencing the occurrence and severity of the other through common inflammatory and behavioral mechanisms.
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