The
researchers determined that a large amount of plaque
had some connection to a
higher cancer mortality. When
dental plaque is present it indicates bad oral
hygiene, which
is something that raises the risk of infection and ultimately
may result in death.
A
Swedish research team from the Karolinska Institute and a
group from the
University of Helsinki put the study together.
The study appeared in the BMJ
Open.
The
study revealed that dental plaque could increase the risk
of death by cancer by
as much as 79 percent when analyzing
all risk factors. Bacteria in the mouth is
a big contributor to
carcinogenesis.
Despite
the findings from the study, the researchers
emphasized that tooth decay does
not directly cause cancer.
Based on this
study and numerous studies in the past, poor
oral health leads to poor overall
health. It’s been proven that
bad oral health may lead to Alzheimer’s disease,
heart
disease, stroke, and diabetes, among other health problems.
