New Delhi, Dec 30 || Abundance of severe gum disease -- periodontitis -- may worsen disability for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system.
Previous studies have shown that periodontitis may contribute to central nervous system disorders through chronic inflammation. However, its role in multiple sclerosis has been unclear.
The new research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that high levels of Fusobacterium nucleatum -- a bacterium found in the mouth -- were associated with about ten-fold higher odds of severe disability in multiple sclerosis patients.
"While the gut microbiome has been extensively investigated in multiple sclerosis, the potential involvement of the oral microbiome has remained largely unexplored. Because the oral cavity is a major source of chronic inflammation and represents a potentially modifiable factor, clarifying its relationship with multiple sclerosis severity is important for understanding disease mechanisms and developing new preventive strategies," said Masahiro Nakamori, an associate professor and lecturer at Hiroshima University Hospital.