Investigating the potential clinical impact of periodontitis on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease: a prospective cohort study

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the effect of periodontitis and current occlusal relationship on the progression rate of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods Ninety Alzheimer’s patients, who were divided into three groups as Stage I ( n =42), Stage II ( n =29), and Stage III ( n =19), based on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, were included in the study. Cognitive status of the patients was evaluated with Standardized Mini-Mental Test (SMMT) at baseline and repeated 6 months later. Clinical periodontal examinations were recorded and occlusal relationship status was classified according to the Eichner Index. Results Of 90 Alzheimer’s patients, 65 were toothed individuals with periodontitis and 25 were edentulous individuals without active periodontal disease. Stage II and Stage III toothed Alzheimer’s patients had higher percentage of bleeding on probing (BOP%) and clinical attachment level (CAL) values than Stage I patients ( p