Brushing your teeth regularly could help ward off cancer. According to an American study, in fact, gum disease who achieve a non- perfect hygiene can increase the risk of cancer of the throat and stomach by over 50%.
And the risk is even higher for those who have previously lost teeth. To say so are researchers from Harvard TH La Chan School of Public Health in Boston , who examined rates of esophageal (throat) and gastric (stomach) cancer in 98,459 women and 49,685 men over a period of over 20 years.
It was previously discovered that gum disease leads to heart problems when bacteria spread in the blood. The accumulation of bacteria in the gums, teeth and mouth, that is, can also cause inflammation that mainly affects the bloodstream and arteries.
Now, scientists have found that people with a history of gum disease have up to a 52% higher chance of developing esophageal or gastric cancer.
I study
Published on BMJ, the study analyzed dental health, demographics, lifestyle and diet using follow-up questionnaires, as well as a possibly self-reported and confirmed cancer diagnosis after reviewing medical records.
The results showed that during the 22-28 years of follow-up, there were 199 cases of esophageal carcinoma and 238 cases of gastric carcinoma.
Gum disease was associated with a 43% and 52% increase in the risk of esophageal and gastric cancer, respectively, while the risks of esophageal and gastric cancer for those who had lost two or more teeth were even slightly higher – respectively. 42% and 33%.
Why is this all happening? One possible reason is that poor oral hygiene and gum disease could promote the formation of bacteria known to cause gastric cancer, the scientists said. Remedies? Just good oral hygiene! Brush your teeth and floss.
