Love Your Gums and Lower Your Cancer Risk
What can you reasonably do to lower your cancer risk? We each want to enjoy more in life—not just today, but also for many more tomorrows! One of the easiest, but commonly overlooked, strategies for decreasing your cancer risk is to make sure that your gums are “super” healthy and absolutely do not bleed.
You may be thinking “I don’t have gum disease. I go to the dentist every six months and a little bleeding is normal for me!”
But, according to the World Health Organization, gum disease affects almost 80 percent of adults globally. Based on my 35 years of clinical experience as a dentist, bleeding gums are easily ignored in the easily treatable early and moderate stages.
How do bleeding gums impact your cancer risk? Bleeding in the gums, regardless of how minor, is a sign of a bacterial infection.
It is well established that bleeding gums result in the release of inflammatory molecules which are associated with the development and growth of certain cancers.
An estimated 25 percent or more of the global cancer burden is directly attributable to chronic inflammation and known infectious agents; but, the problem is bigger than that.
These oral bacteria, along with their toxic byproducts, travel via the bloodstream throughout the body where they disrupt normal healing and immune functions.
Quality evidence is accumulating that this toxin load is correlated with an increased risk of cancer development as well as its spread to distant organs in the body. This is somewhat of a “one-two punch!”
Let’s briefly examine Colon Cancer and Breast Cancer.
How are bleeding gums related to Colorectal Cancer? A common bacteria that lives under the gums and causes them to be inflamed is called Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn). Fn is commonly isolated from frozen segments of colon tumors and is linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease, among other gut problems. While some scientists believe that this bug is actually a cancer cause, many are convinced that it makes tumors grow faster and behave more aggressively.
What about gum disease and its relationship to Breast Cancer? While chronic inflammation can predispose a person to cancer, oral pathogens have actually been isolated from cancerous and precancerous breast tumors. The pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by the oral pathogens alter tumor biology and can boost tumor growth as well as promote metastasis to distant sites. Infected root canals, even when asymptomatic, can drain toxins into sentinel breast lymph nodes.
Below are three ways to love your gums and lower your cancer risk:
First: Find a dental team that addresses minor gum bleeding as a whole-body issue rather than just “no big deal” or “normal.” Make sure you get a thorough teeth cleaning that goes below the gums and that you are shown potential problem areas. The bad bacteria that produce damaging molecules live under the gums in a protected “biofilm” that calcifies and must be mechanically removed. Antibiotics or mouthwashes won’t do the job!
Second: Find tools that work in your hands to help you keep your gums “super” healthy. Floss doesn’t work well for every person. The good news is that your mouth will show you where you need more attention if you are observant. I recommend the use of soft gum picks that will gently get under the gums to keep the biofilm disrupted.
Third: Have your saliva tested to find precisely which oral pathogens may be harming your body. This simple saliva sample is truly personalized medicine. I utilize “My Perio Path” by Oral DNA for my patients and believe that “salivary diagnostics” will be standard of care within the next ten years. Oral bacteria not only affect cancer, but they have an enormous influence on memory, joint pain, pregnancy complications, heart disease, autoimmunity, gut health, and blood sugar regulation. We are learning more every day in this exciting area of research. Find a dentist in your area that utilizes this test at https://oraldna.com.
Remember, you can lower your cancer risk!
The good news is that inflammation in your mouth—compared to other areas in your body—can easily be diagnosed and treated.
Chronic inflammation is at the base of much cancer development as well as tumor growth and metastasis. The chronic systemic inflammation caused by bleeding gums is a big part of the problem.
Countless clinical success stories have convinced me that the mouth is truly “The Forgotten Orifice” when it comes to vibrant health and vitality. There is hope!
To learn more, watch this short TEDx talk and visit my website www.DrDebbieOzment.com.
