ALZHEIMER AND PERIONDONTAL DISEASE

EFFECTS ON ALZHEIMER PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS

AD etiology is thought to be tied to brain inflammation, and peripheral infections could contribute to the inflammation of the central nervous system. Periodontitis, a peripheral infection widely spread among population, is caused by anaerobic bacteria able to provoke distant, site or general infections. The relevant thing is its treatable condition and, hence, its modifiable risk factor.

It is also concluded that a reduced number of teeth entails a higher risk of incidence and prevalence of dementia in the future. It was found an association between the number of teeth and dementia or AD.

Finally, caregiving espouses of AD patients are at higher risk of suffering Periodontal Disease than others, because they are subject to chronic stress.

The Annual Meeting of the Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration (SEPA), held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from 12^th to 14^th November 2009, was attended by more than a thousand professionals from Europe and North America and included, once again, a good part of Clínica Sicilia’s team.

The Meeting was a forum of discussion for matters regarding the relationship between periodontal disease and the general health, in particular, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The most advanced techniques for the treatment of this pathology, which affects to a lesser or greater extent 90% of population, were presented in the Meeting.

The 50^th anniversary of SEPA was celebrated in the opening ceremony, where tribute was paid to all the Society’s presidents for their contributions. SEPA’s ex-president, Prf. Dr. Alberto Sicilia, (1998-2001) received a book commemorating the 50 years of the Society’s history.