According to your San Pablo dental team, scientists have found a link between the bacteria present during gum disease and the potential for developing pancreatic cancer. An extensive study jointly conducted by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Helsinki University Hospital in Finland has determined that there is a clear correlation in the population between terminal cancers and periodontitis.
Oral hygiene and cancer
Drs. Edwin Kim and Jacqueline Lee want you to maintain good oral hygiene so that gum diseases can be prevented, because the bacteria which accompany gum disease can directly lead to the development of pancreatic cancer. The study showed that these bacteria carry the same enzymes which are used by invading cells to carry cancerous cells among healthy tissue. This enzyme can also deactivate molecules in the immune system which would normally help to stop the invaders, suggesting that periodontitis and cancers in the pancreas as well as in the mouth may eventually get help from things like the low-grade inflammation caused by periodontitis.
We at San Pablo Dental Care know it’s for the best for all dental patients to observe good oral hygiene, and to be sure and keep all scheduled dental appointments, so any signs of gum disease can be caught early and managed.
