Taking good care of your teeth isn't just about having a killer smile and looking good; it could literally save you from cancer. A study by the Lancet Oncology found that men who have a history of gum disease face a higher risk of getting cancer than those who don't.
The study was done on American men between the ages of 40 and 75. While the studies didn't have any similar findings for women and other populations, that doesn't mean you should slack.
Link Between Cancer and Poor Oral Health
One of the reasons why people with frequent gum infections face a higher risk of cancer, according to the study, could be the increased number of inflammations they suffer. The exact link, however, is still unknown.
It's good to point out at this point that the overall increase in risk of getting cancer was 14%. That might sound low, but it is only the average of cancer as a whole. When considered individually, some cancers actually had a 30% higher than normal risk of occurring in men with a history of gum disease.
It was found that men with a history of gum disease had a 36% risk of getting lung cancer, a 49% risk of getting kidney cancer, and a whopping 54% percent risk of getting pancreatic cancer.
Why you Should Take Care of Your Oral Health
As you can see, your mouth is more closely linked to your body than it may seem at first glance. Ailments that start in the mouth can easily find their way into the rest of the body and wreak havoc. You should therefore take care of your mouth so that the rest of your body has something to be grateful about.
Make sure you brush and floss regularly and schedule regular visits to our offices. We'll be able to identify most of the issues facing your oral health before they get serious and solve them immediately.