At first
gum disease was linked to heart disease. Now it seems it's also linked to cancer as well. Maybe now people will see their dentist more oftenAccording to an article published in the highly prestigious The Lancet Oncology, researchers at the imperial College of London (UK) found that people with gum disease have a higher overall risk of cancer, whether or not they're smokers and nonsmokers.
The researchers discovered that after adjusting for details about the history of smoking, dietary factors, and other known risk factors, participants with a history of gum disease were 14% more likely to develop any type of cancer compared to those without history of gum disease.
Looking at specific cancer risks, those with a history of gum disease had the following increases in cancer risk compared to those without a history of gum disease:
Lung Cancer (36%),
Kidney Cancer (49%),
Pancreatic Cancer (54%),
Hematological Cancer (30%).Gum disease, such as periodontis or
gingivitis, is associated with increased concentrations of inflammatory markers in the blood. There is some debate, however, about whether this systemic inflammation, the pathogenic invasion into the blood stream, or the immune response to gum infection could possibly affect cancer risk, overall or at specific sites.The article authors summarize their results this way; "Gum disease was associated with a small, but significant, increase in overall cancer risk, which persisted in never-smokers. The associations recorded for lung cancer are probably because of residual confounding by smoking. The increased risks noted for haematological, kidney, and pancreatic cancers need confirmation, but suggest that gum disease might be a marker of a susceptible immune system or might directly affect cancer risk."
Friends of "My Dental Complaint"
Is it that straightforward that by brushing twice a day we
ReplyDeletecan avoid having to treat gum disease altogether?