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.