Gum disease could indicate cancer

If you don’t regularly visit a dentist, you need to change your lifestyle and make dental check-ups part of your routine health care. According to research by Imperial College London, gum disease may be a warning that you are at increased risk of cancer. Researchers studied records of 50,000 men and found those with persistent history of gum disease had a 14 percent higher risk of getting cancer compared to those with no history of the disease. Gum disease was particularly linked to lung, kidney, pancreatic and blood cancers. The researchers speculate persistent gum disease could point to a weak immune system, which could also be linked to the development of cancer.

Published on January 2013