Flossing Prevents Pancreatic Cancer?

Advocates for flossing are touting new research that identifies gum disease and tooth loss as a causative factor for pancreatic cancer.

While the study doesn’t prove gum disease directly causes cancer, researchers are speculating chronic inflammation occurring throughout the body is the culprit which predisposes people to heart disease, strokes, and now, pancreatic cancer.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study which analyzed 16 years of heath information of more than 50,000 men. They factored out potential risks such as diet, physical activities, diabetes, obesity and smoking and found a 60 percent higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to men without periodontal disease. And the risks rose with more severe periodontal disease.

Men who had both gum disease and tooth loss had the highest risk for pancreatic cancer, the study found. Additional studies are planned to confirm the link and also to determine if there’s an oral health connection to other types of cancers.

The pancreas is a gland located within the abdomen near the stomach. It is important for making digestive juices and hormones such as insulin.

In Canada, an estimated 3,500 new cases were diagnosed last year, and there were an estimated 3,400 deaths.
I suppose the moral of the story is… take good care of your teeth by flossing regularly!