Dementia is a debilitating condition affecting 900,000 people in the UK, but there are a few habits you can change to help stop it developing in later life.

Dementia is part of the umbrella term of Alzheimer's Disease, and not only does it affect memory, it significantly impacts everyday tasks such as walking, speaking and the ability to have a conversation.

It's expected to affect 1.6million people in the UK by 2040, but experts say there are small things you can do in earlier life to curb the disease.

Professor Claire Steves, a consultant physician in geriatric medicine at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, spoke to Jonathan Wolf on the latest podcast episode of ZOE Science and Nutrition to share how early people should start taking dementia seriously.

One of the tell-tale signs of dementia can be found in our gums, the expert shared. She urged people to take a close look at their dental and oral hygiene and warned: "About 35% of older adults have gum disease, and there's a close relationship between oral health and brain health," Bristol Online reports.

This link between gum disease and dementia is also backed up on the official Alzheimer's Society charity and support page. They stated that people who had gum disease "declined in memory ability six times faster" than those who didn't.

Researchers then concluded that "gum disease is associated with an increase in cognitive decline in Alzheimer's, possibly by mechanisms linked to the body's inflammatory response."

She also highlighted how you can recognise symptoms early, as well as the significance of dental health, genetics, diet and physical activity to help keep healthy and avoid the disease as much as possible.

Dr Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at Alzheimer's Society, explained: 'It's unclear, however, whether this is cause or effect – if the gum disease is triggering the faster decline of dementia, or vice versa."

He then added: "This study adds evidence to the idea that gum disease could potentially be a contributing factor to Alzheimer's, but we would need to see clinical trials to provide more solid evidence. If this is proven to be the case, better dental hygiene would offer a way to help slow the progression of dementia and enable people to remain independent for longer."

If you have any concerns, it's always best to speak to your local GP. Alternatively, further support can be found here.

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