Hi steemians...
People with severe periodontitis, a gum disease, have a 24% greater risk of cancer. This is the reason why the importance of good oral care to avoid bacterial infections that affect the gums.
Periodontitis, an advanced form of gingivitis, results from a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the gums and bones that support the teeth. Although previous research has shown a link between periodontitis and an increased risk of cancer, this new study is the largest to date looking at dental exams to measure this gum disease rather than sticking to say patients.
This collaborative study, conducted by Dominique Michaud, of the Tufts University School of Medicine and Eizabeth Platz of the Kimmel Cancer Center, used dental examination data from 7,466 subjects monitored between the late 1990s and 2012.
Scientists found that people with severe periodontitis had a 24% increased risk of developing cancer compared to people with mild periodontitis or who did not have this condition at all. In addition, among patients who had lost all their teeth - which may be a sign of severe periodontitis - the increased risk of cancer increased to 28%.
When the researchers analyzed subgroups, they also found that the highest risk was lung cancer, with participants with severe periodontitis at double risk for developing lung cancer compared to other subjects. Colorectal cancer followed, while toothless patients experienced an 80% increase in the risk of developing this cancer. A result already supported by previous studies.
Risque accru de cancer du poumon, du colon-rectum et du pancréas
After taking into account the effects of smoking, with smokers showing an increased risk of developing periodontitis as well as cancers of the lungs and colon, the researchers found that even among people who had never smoked, acute periodontitis was all the same linked to an increased risk of lung and colorectal cancers.
A link has also been found between severe periodontitis and a small increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer. A Finnish study published this week also showed for the first time that the bacterium responsible for periodontitis seems to play a role in the occurrence of pancreatic cancer.
However, scientists have not found an association between this serious gum disease and an increased risk of breast, prostate or blood cancer. Professor Michaud noted that "further research is needed to evaluate whether the prevention and treatment of periodontitis could help reduce the incidence of cancer and reduce the number of deaths from certain types of cancer."
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
Periodontitis is a serious bacterial infection of the gums.
People who have periodontitis have a higher risk of cancer.
The cancers concerned affect the lung, the colon-rectum and the pancreas.
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