Oral Bacteria Linked To Increased Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer

Gum disease and pancreatic cancer may be associated with one another, according to the British Dental Health Foundation.

Published in the journal Gut, the study found that certain types of bacterium present in the formation of gum disease is linked to a 2 times higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. On the other hand, oral bacteria that is not harmful resulted in a 45% decreased risk of pancreatic cancer.

A 2007 study, conducted by the same researchers, found that men with a history of periodontal disease had a 64% increased risk of pancreatic cancer than men who did not.

The experts say they cannot yet prove that gum disease increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, but they say that the new research is evidence that there is a significant association between the two.

Earlier studies have said there is a correlation between the two diseases. However, it is not clear whether certain bacteria found in gum disease are a cause or a result from pancreatic cancer.

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, which depend on the size, tissue type, and location of the tumor may include:

    Loss of appetite

    Weight loss

    Jaundice (yellowish coloring of eyes and skin)

    Upper abdomen pain

    Trousseau sign - a medical sign present in certain cancers

    Clinical depression

    Diabetes mellitus

Dominique Michaud, a Brown University epidemiologist, said: "This is not an established risk factor. But I feel more confident that something is going on. It's something we need to understand better."

Co-lead author of the study, Jacques Izard from the Forsyth Institute and Harvard University agreed with Michaud. He explained, "We need to further investigate the importance of bacteria in pancreatic cancer beyond the associated risk."

The study found that pancreatic cancer was responsible for 7,901 deaths out of 20,104, and in England, a mere 4% of pancreatic cancer patients lived for more than 5 years.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said that if there is even the slightest evidence of an association between pancreatic cancer and gum disease, this should be enough to remind people of how critical good oral health is.

He said:  "This research provides further ammunition to the growing belief these two disease could be related.

There is no escaping the fact that poor oral health has some role to play, as a number of studies are now starting to show. What we must remember is oral health is relatively simple to maintain. The Foundation's three key messages- brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, cutting down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend- are a great starting point for maintaining good oral health.

If you have swollen gums that bleed regularly when brushing, bad breath, loose teeth or regular mouth infections appear, it is likely you have gum disease. If any of these symptoms persist, your dentist may be able to help you."

Article published on medicalnewstoday.com on October 2, 2012.  See original article here. 

Fighting Tooth Decay with Coconut Oil

Scientists have found that digested coconut oil can actually start an attack upon the bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay

Scientists have presented some important findings at the Autumn Microbiology Conference at the University of Warwick.

According to these findings, the digested coconut oil can actually start an attack upon the bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay.

It is important to mention that coconut oil can be regarded as a natural antibiotic, and scientists say that probably this precious ingredient might be added as a main ingredient to hundreds of oral health care products available on the market.

Another team of researchers from the Athlone Institute of Technology from Ireland made an important lab test. They wanted to see which are the antibacterial properties of both the natural coconut oil and the one treated with enzymes.

The oils have been subjected to a special lab test resembling human digestion, and researchers also brought coconut oils in contact with the Streptococcus bacteria which are common harmful bacteria found within the mouth.

According to the results, the coconut oil which has been enriched with enzymes had a positive effect on the inhibition of the Streptococcus bacteria, but especially the Streptococcus mutans, which is one of the main culprits for tooth decay.

The oral health industry might regard enzyme-modified coconut oil as the next important ingredient which will be present in many oral health care products. According to one lead researcher, Dr. Damien Brady, the coconut oil is even more important as an ingredient to fight off bacteria, because it will successfully replace all those chemical additives they have been using in the toothpastes or mouthwashes.

Researchers will just continue testing such enzyme modified foods, in order to see how these interact with the way bacteria cause all types of infections and disorders in the mouth.

Such researches are always important, because with every single positive discovery one more important leap is made forward. Replacing as many chemical components as possible with these natural oils helps greatly in making possible the use of more natural and less harmful products in dental care.

Posted September 14, 2012 on worlddental.org.  See original article here. 

Cost Keeps Many Americans From Good Dental Care

While most said their teeth were in good shape, many did not visit the dentist regularly

Although most Americans say their teeth are in relatively good shape, a newly published survey reveals that many are not getting routine dental checkups, with cost cited as the most common obstacle.

The findings stem from the responses of more than 17,000 men and women, aged 18 to 64, across the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics report.

Among the results gleaned from the 2008 survey, the researchers found that roughly 75 percent of participants said their oral health was either good or very good, while 17 percent and 7 percent, respectively, described their dental health as fair or poor.

Oral health appeared to differ by the type of insurance people had, with Medicaid recipients running a five times greater risk for poorer dental health than those with private coverage. Adults on Medicaid were two times more likely than other adults to have not visited a dentist in more than a half-decade (21 percent versus 12 percent).

Race also appeared to play a role, as whites and Asians were more likely to have good oral health (37 percent) than either Hispanics or blacks (25 percent and 26 percent, respectively). Education was also cited as a factor, with college graduates significantly more likely to be in good dental shape than those with less than a high school diploma.

The poll further revealed that six in 10 adults had paid a visit to the dentist in the previous year. Among those who did not, cost appeared to be the largest impediment to getting a checkup, with the expense of a dental visit named as the main reason for not seeing a dentist in the prior six months.

On that score, 42 percent of survey participants said that they either did not have dental insurance and/or they could not afford to get their teeth treated.

Money issues aside, fear was cited by 10 percent as the primary reason not to cross a dentist’s threshold.

The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics published the results of the survey July 18 in Vital and Health Statistics.

SOURCE: U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, news release, July 18, 2012

Posted on medlineplus.com on July 18, 2012.  See original article here.

Economist: America’s Retirement System Is Failing Us

Your "golden years" may not be so golden.

The majority of Americans (75 percent) nearing retirement age had less than $30,000 in their retirement accounts in 2010. For the poorest Americans in the 50-to-64-age bracket, the average amount saved for retirement was $16,034.

The lack of nest egg savings could become an acute crisis in the U.S. and should force a reexamination of the nation's retirement system, says Teresa Ghilarducci, a professor of economics at The New School.

In a recent New York Times Op-Ed, Ghilarducci argues that the current retirement savings model has failed middle-class Americans. The "do-it-yourself" pension system — aka 401(k) plans — that replaced traditional pension packages 30 years ago mistakenly assumed that individuals without investment experience could "reap the same results as professional investors and money managers," she writes.

In an interview with The Daily Ticker, she says individuals "were asked to do what they really couldn't do. Not because they're irresponsible, not because they didn't plan well, not because they didn't have enough financial literacy. That system asked humans to do what they just can't do — anticipate the future."

The savings accrued by the majority of middle class seniors will not support their current standard of living, Ghilarducci says. Americans should save at least 8 times their annual income to maintain their living standards (she strongly recommends increasing that number to 20 times if possible). For those earning $100,000 a year at the time of retirement, at least $2 million or more would be needed.

Unfortunately most Americans are ill-equipped for retirement and she estimates that 49 percent of middle-class workers will live on a food budget of less than $5 a day — poverty-like conditions.

Americans can no longer lean on social security checks or late retirements as safety nets Ghilarducci notes. Social Security and other entitlement programs have been under attack in Congress. A growing number of lawmakers from both sides of the isle support reducing or curtailing government spending on these 77-year old institutions as means to lower the national deficit. Workers over the age of 55 have a harder time finding employment than younger workers and when they do find work it's usually a big wage cut or reduced hours. According to the Labor Department, 6.2 percent of Americans over the age of 55 were unemployed in July and 50 percent of that group had been out of work for six months or more.

Saving for retirement has become especially hard for many Americans who are struggling to pay everyday expenses. That's why Ghilarducci wants to reform Americans' approach to retirement. She advocates instituting mandatory retirement accounts for all Americans. These would be professionally managed with a guaranteed rate return and annuity payment. This mandated account would be a supplement — not a replacement — to Social Security and other private retirement accounts.

"People need to save a lot more," she says. "Social security is a base but it's not enough. I'm just advocating that people save more."

Posted on The Daily Ticker, August 6, 2012.  See original article here.  

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA’s): What You Need to Know

There are two basic types of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) for you to save for retirement through - Traditional and Roth. I will break out both, explaining the features of each, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of them both as well. Note that this is a basic overview of both.  I will not go into every detail of the two plans; I will just highlight the main points, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Traditional IRA

A Traditional IRA is a tax-deferred account for saving for retirement. Tax-deferred means that you pay no tax on the money before you invest it in the account. The money grows tax-deferred until you withdrawal it in retirement. At this point, you pay tax on the money.

Advantages

• Tax-deductible contributions: if you meet certain requirements, you can deduct the contribution you make in the year you make it from your income tax.
• Paying less taxes: it is assumed you will be in a lower income tax bracket in retirement versus when you are working. So by paying the taxes when you are in retirement, you will pay less because you earn less.

Disadvantages

• At age 70 ½, you are required to take money out of the account each year, regardless if you need it or not. This is known as the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD).
• Early Withdrawal Penalty: if you withdrawal money before age 59 ½, you will have to pay a 10% penalty to the IRS in addition to he regular income tax.

Roth IRA

A Roth IRA is a tax-free account for saving for retirement. Tax-free means that the money in the account grows tax-free until retirement when you withdrawal it. When you do, you do not pay tax as you already have. The catch is that you pay tax on the money before you invest it in the Roth IRA. (To clear up any confusion, you aren’t getting taxed by investing in a Roth. The money you invest must be earned income (salary). It gets taxed there, not when it gets invested.)

Advantages

• You pay taxes now. You will not have to worry about taxes being higher when you withdrawal the money.

• No RMD. With a Roth IRA, you don’t have to worry about turning 70 ½ and being forced to take money out of the account. You can choose to never touch it if you would like and pass it on to an heir after you pass away.

• No penalty if distributing contributions: At any time, you can take out the amount you deposited into the Roth without facing a penalty. So, if you deposited $1,000 into your Roth and need $500, you can take out the $500 and not have to deal with any IRS penalties.

• Non-taxable distributions: You can withdrawal money from the Roth IRA, $10,000, for first-time homebuyers, without having to worry about early distribution penalties.

Disadvantages

• Income limits: You can only contribute to a Roth IRA as long as you meet the income eligibility limits.

• Taxes: Depending on future tax rates, you could end up being in a higher tax bracket when you make your contributions than you will be in when you withdrawal the money.

• Legislation: There is no guarantee that the money that grows in your Roth will always be tax-free. Congress could change the law at any time.

For 2012, both Traditional and Roth IRA owners can contribute up to $5,000 in their account ($6,000 if you are 55 or older.)

For many, the Roth IRA is the way to go. This is because you lose the tax deduction of the Traditional IRA contribution if you are covered by an employer’s retirement plan (401(k)), or earn too much money. For which plan benefits you the most, be sure to sit down and discuss it with your tax accountant.

Posted on February 16, 2012 by moneysmartguides.com.  See original article here. 

For information on how to use a self-directed IRA to purchase a Dental Support Plus franchise, visit www.theirainstitute.com.   

Oral health: A window to your overall health. Mayo Clinic staff

Your oral health is more important than you may realize. Get the facts about how the health of your mouth, teeth and gums may affect your general health.

Did you know that your oral health can offer clues about your overall health? Or that problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body? Understand the intimate connection between oral health and overall health and what you can do to protect yourself.

 

What's the connection between oral health and overall health?

Your mouth is teeming with bacteria — most of them harmless. Normally the body's natural defenses and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, can keep these bacteria under control. However, harmful bacteria can sometimes grow out of control and cause oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, dental procedures, medications, or treatments that reduce saliva flow, disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in your mouth or breach the mouth's normal protective barriers may make it easier for bacteria to enter your bloodstream.

 

What conditions may be linked to oral health?

Your oral health may affect, be affected by or contribute to various diseases and conditions, including:

• Endocarditis. Gum disease and dental procedures that cut your gums may allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. If you have a weak immune system or a damaged heart valve, this can cause infection in other parts of the body — such as an infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocarditis).
• Cardiovascular disease. Some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria, possibly due to chronic inflammation from periodontitis — a severe form of gum disease.
• Pregnancy and birth. Gum disease has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
• Diabetes. Diabetes reduces the body's resistance to infection — putting the gums at risk. In addition, people who have inadequate blood sugar control may develop more-frequent and severe infections of the gums and the bone that holds teeth in place, and they may lose more teeth than do people who have good blood sugar control.
• HIV/AIDS. Oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions, are common in people who have HIV/AIDS.
• Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis — which causes bones to become weak and brittle — may be associated with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss.
• Alzheimer's disease. Tooth loss before age 35 may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
• Other conditions. Other conditions that may be linked to oral health include Sjogren's syndrome — an immune system disorder — and eating disorders.

Be sure to tell your dentist if you're taking any medications or have had any changes in your overall health — especially if you've had any recent illnesses or you have a chronic condition.

 

How can I protect my oral health?

To protect your oral health, resolve to practice good oral hygiene every day. For example:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months.
• Floss daily.
• Eat a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks.
• Schedule regular dental checkups.

Also, watch for signs and symptoms of oral disease and contact your dentist as soon as a problem arises. Remember, taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health.
 

Women's Hormones Now Associated With Gum Disease

Women, keep those toothbrushes and dental floss handy. A comprehensive review of women's health studies by Charlene Krejci, associate clinical professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, has shown a link between women's health issues and gum disease.

Across the ages, hormonal changes take place during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. Krejci found female hormones that fluctuate throughout women's lives can change conditions in the mouth that allow bacteria to grow, enter the blood, and exacerbate certain health issues like bone loss, fetal death and pre-term births.

Her overview of the literature was reported in the article, "Women's Health: Periodontitis and its Relation to Hormonal Changes, Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Osteoporosis" in the May issue of Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry.

The Case Western Reserve University periodontist reviewed 61 journal articles with nearly 100 studies for a collective answer on whether hormones have a relationship to gum disease and specific women's health issues like preterm labor, bone loss, and the side effect of hormonal replacement therapy.

"There's definitely a gender-specific connection between women's hormones, gum disease, and specific health issues impacting women," Krejci said.

"Although women tend to take better care of their oral health than men, the main message is women need to be even more vigilant about maintaining healthy teeth and gums to prevent or lessen the severity of some of women-specific health issues," Krejci said.

In addition to the brushing and flossing daily regimen, Krejci recommends visiting the dentist at least every six months, and more if there are any gum problems found or women suffer from bone loss or are pregnant.

She added that it is widely known that hormones cause some women gum problems during pregnancy. Women already susceptible to gum disease before being pregnant, she advises, need to make sure that these oral problems are treated.

Although women were once discouraged from seeing the dentist while pregnant, she said that scaling and planing of the roots of teeth to eliminate some gum disease is now recommended during pregnancy for women. Severe gum disease requiring surgery is still generally postponed until after the baby's birth.

Gum disease begins with the build up of bacterial plaque on the teeth and under the gums. Untreated it can cause irritation and inflammation during which harmful and toxic byproducts are released. These toxins erode the bone that anchors teeth and cause breaks and bleeding in the gums.

Published by Medical News Today - May 31, 2012.  See original article here.