Bacteria involved in gum disease can be found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. These bacteria help release toxins into different tissues, including the brain. And these toxins, in turn, increase amyloid beta in the brain, contributing to Alzheimer’s disease. This study will explore how gum-disease bacteria shuttle toxins for release. Targeting this “shuttling machinery” can prevent toxin release and disease. The results will serve as a canvas for the design of new drugs to reduce progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.