Gum Infections Welcome Esophageal Cancer

The Good or Bad Bacteria Can Promote or Prevent Esophageal Cancer

Time and again the importance of oral health on overall body health has been insisted upon. Yet another reason to brush and floss our teeth every day is to prevent any chances of esophageal cancer. The study which proposes this fact tracked the oral hygiene of more than 1,00,000 individuals over a period of 10 years.

There are two types of bacteria associated with gum disease that elevate the risk of esophageal cancer. One of the two bacterium was held responsible for a 21% increase in the development of esophageal tumors. Researchers are still struggling to prove the link for such tumors with gum bacteria although studies link the association between gum bacteria with other diseases such as heart disease and esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer ranks as the 8^th most prominent cancer type and the 6^th most common cause of cancer death worldwide. The tragedy here is that, esophageal cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages and a five-year survival rate is only between 15-25 percent. This cancer type can prove fatal and hence, there is a dire need for early intervention and prevention measures.

The main concern of this study is whether the bacteria or the resulting periodontal disease is responsible for the development of cancer. The good part of the study is that, some types of mouth bacteria were linked with a lower risk of esophageal cancer. Hence, the oral bacteria in our mouth can either promote the development of this cancer type or protect our body from the same deadly cancer. The next step must be to analyze the good and bad bacteria that either promote or protect against the disease.

To prevent gum infection in the first place, it is recommended to brush your teeth twice a day and floss regularly. If you wish to know more about the association of oral health with overall body health, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com for complete details.