BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Your mouth may be doing more than you think — it could be a gateway to your brain. In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer sits down with Dr. Flavio Rasetto, a Washington DC-based prosthodontist and University of Maryland School of Dentistry faculty member, to explore the emerging science linking oral inflammation to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. Dr. Rasetto breaks down how bacteria like Porphyromonas gingivalis can travel from the gums into the bloodstream and brain, why bleeding gums and bad breath are early warning signs worth taking seriously, and how caregivers can manage oral hygiene for loved ones living with Alzheimer's. The conversation also touches on advances in modern dentistry, barriers to dental care access, and the everyday habits that protect both your smile and your mind.Support the show