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June 12th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda TUESDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) — The gnarly plaque lurking on
your gums and teeth may increase your chances of dying from cancer, new
research suggests.
Many studies have linked oral health to chronic illnesses such as heart
disease. This latest research, however, suggests that people who have more
plaque on their teeth and gums are more likely to die prematurely from
cancer.
The findings, which appear in the June 11 edition of BMJ Open,
show only an association between plaque and a raised risk of early cancer
death, and not a cause-and-effect relationship.
In the new study, nearly 1,400 Swedish adults were followed for 24
years. During this time, 58 of the subjects died, 35 from cancer.
Study participants were asked about smoking and other risk factors for
cancer. Researchers examined dental-plaque buildup, tartar, gum disease
and tooth loss among all participants. The individuals who died had more
dental plaque covering larger surface areas of their teeth and gums than
their counterparts who did not die during the study period.
Specifically, people with high amounts of dental plaque were 79 percent
more likely to die prematurely, the study showed. That said, the absolute
risk of any person with dental plaque dying early of cancer was low.
On average, female participants were 61 years old when they died and
men were 60. Women would have been expected to live around 13 years
longer, and the men an additional 8.5 years, the study authors wrote, so
their deaths could be considered premature.
The findings held even after researchers controlled for certain factors
known to increase risk of cancer death. Although the study did not examine
how the two may be connected, underlying inflammation may be the common
denominator.
“Bacteria in the gums may trigger local inflammation, and these
bacteria and inflammatory markers don’t just stay where they are,” said
Dr. Joel Epstein, director of oral medicine at the City of Hope Cancer
Center in Duarte, Calif. “They are measurable in the blood, so it becomes
systemic and widely distributed.”
Calling the new findings “interesting,” Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy
chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, said they raise
more questions than they answer.
“This study does not answer the question of whether or not dental
plaque leads to cancer death,” he said. “We only know how many people
died, so we don’t know if there is an increase in the incidence of cancer
among people with plaque, or if, perhaps, it renders them more susceptible
to treatment-associated infection.”
The findings make sense to Saul Presser, a dentist in private practice
in New York City.
“There have been reports recently of a connection between certain
cancers and oral plaque accumulation,” he said. “When one has a lot of
dental plaque, this means that more microorganisms are present than if
there was minimal plaque in the mouth. It has been shown that certain
cancers can be related to some viruses and other microorganisms.”
It is too early to say that this plaque directly causes cancer, he
said, but “it would be wise for patients to minimize their oral plaque
through good oral hygiene and regular dental exams and professional
cleanings.”
Epstein said the findings demonstrate the interconnectedness of the
human body.
“This is interesting and impactful data that broadens the whole view of
not being able to separate the mouth from other body parts,” he said.
More information
Learn more about healthy teeth and gums at the American Dental
Association.
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