Study shows processed foods may increase risk of Multiple Sclerosis causing oral and maxillofacial symptoms
Recent epidemiological research investigating Multiple Sclerosis by Dr. Klaus Lauer of the Department of Neurology Academic Teaching Hospital in Heidelberger, Germany, also supported by the Hermann- and Lilly-Schilling-foundation, was presented at the 2010 European Neurological Society (ENS) meeting in Berlin. Data collected from several European countries revealed that processed foods such as margarine, processed meat and confectionery, may increase risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
MS is a debilitating neurological disease resulting in damage to the nerves’ myelin sheath and axons in the brain and spinal cord, interfering with the electrical signals that make movement and communication possible. For this reason, MS is often considered a physical and cognitive disability. Canadian researchers from Toronto General Hospital and Laval University identified that the three most common symptoms in patients with MS are orofacial, including trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal sensory neuropathy, and facial palsy. Oro-facial lesions may also be present. The study revealed that medications used to treat MS also harm dental health.
Due to epidemiological correlations discovered in the German study, Dr. Lauer called for further research into the links between processed foods and MS to better understand the increased incidents of MS in European populations consuming more processed foods: “…more extensive studies of the individual to investigate whether those who later contract MS have in fact previously consumed more of a certain foodstuff than those who have remained healthy.”
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