Regular dental checkups along with brushing and flossing do a lot more than just maintaining a great oral health. Both men and women with a history of periodontal disease are at an increased risk for lung, esophageal, gallbladder, and melanoma skin cancers.
The exact relationship between gum disease and cancer is still under discovery but one of the major reason held responsible is the inflammation process that comes with periodontal diseases. It is also predicted that both the conditions develop because of the issues in the immune system.
Periodontitis results due to the bacterial infection which damages soft tissue and the bone supporting teeth. The initial symptoms of gum disease include blood on your toothpaste while rinsing or cleaning the teeth. In the latter stages, you may also experience bad breath as a sign.
It is recommended to treat gum disease in the initial stages to prevent any kind of risk. It is also seen that patients who developed extreme or severe signs were asked to have their teeth removed eventually. People who smoke and drink are at higher risk of developing risk factors for cancer.
The only way to reduce risk associated with gum disease is to follow an effective oral health routine that involves brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. Dentists recommend the use of Flouride toothpaste for brushing and interdental brushes for flossing the teeth. This helps to remove bacteria completely from the different areas of the mouth.
We have compiled a list of facts that will help you easily understand the correlation between gum disease and cancer.
- Over 70% of Americans 65 and older have periodontitis. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Patients with a history of gum disease have been found to have a 14 percent higher risk of developing any form of tumour. (The Daily Telegraph)
- Women with periodontal disease and/or missing teeth were 11 times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than women with good oral health. (Journal Of Breast Cancer Treatment and Research)
- Postmenopausal women with periodontal disease had a 14% higher risk of breast cancer. (University Of Buffalo)
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