The Liver Cancer Link To Poor Oral Health

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The Liver Cancer Link To Poor Oral Health

Dentists have been banging on about the importance of oral health for some time. Sometimes this has been received like water off a duck’s back in that we are all a tad busy struggling to survive in this inflationary economy. However, sound the horns and beat those very loud drums because the science is in and it doesn’t make for pretty reading. It’s not-so-hep news: the liver cancer link to poor oral health has been confirmed. Those neglected gums and teeth are in the firing line to increase your chances of getting liver cancer by 75%.

“A new study from Queen’s University Belfast has found that people with poor oral health are more likely to develop liver cancer. The investigation involved over 450,000 people across the UK and discovered that failing to look after your teeth and gums can make you up to 75% more likely to develop cancer of the liver. The potentially life-threatening disease is the latest in a long line of health conditions to be linked with poor oral hygiene. Higher risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes have also been linked with common oral health problems.”
– DentalHealth.org

A study involving 450, 000 people is not to be sneezed at, as this is a sizeable sample group. I would say, however, that neglect of oral health would likely go hand in hand with other determining factors like poor diet, smoking, drinking too much, and other habitual precursors to developing things like liver cancer. All of these things contribute to poor oral health and it may be a case of both causation and correlation.

Dentists Hold The High Moral & Scientific Ground In Oral Health Debate

Flossing is often a bridge too far for many of our patients. Some say flossing only suits those anal folk who go that extra mile in search of oral hygiene. Yet oral health, however you achieve it, will save you a great deal of discomfort, dollars, and now studies show can possibly prolong your life. Perhaps, oral health should run for President. Time Magazine could, instead of Taylor Swift put Oral Health on the cover, perhaps next year? Men do not like being told what to do, we know this because the statistical state of male oral health is worse than that of women around the globe. Menfolk know this every time they go into a public convenience and witness the state of it. Guys just don’t listen to advice and instruction about matters of health and hygiene.

“In all, the analysis took in data on 469,628 people, among whom 4,069 developed gastrointestinal cancer over an average follow-up of 6 years. Of the individuals who developed digestive cancer, 13% had reported having poor oral health at the start of the study period.”
– Medical News Today

It sadly is not-so-hep news: the liver cancer link to poor oral health has been etched in stone via the scientific certification process. What we are just beginning to comprehend is the holistic nature of our health and physiology. Everything is linked and connected in a complementary manner. We must all take care of all of our parts with this growing awareness and foresight. Careless and stupid people will, in the main, reach their use-by-date far sooner than those who respect their oral health and everything else. It is a case of the old – my body is a temple – mantra.

“Poor oral health has been associated with the risk of several chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” explained Dr Haydée WT Jordão, from the Centre of Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast and lead author of the study.
– Science Daily

The Liver Cancer Link To Poor Oral Health In Sydney At Pitt St Dental Centre

Improve Your Oral Health

If you wish to avoid the double whammy of bad oral hygiene and liver cancer there are a few salient things you can do to make this happen. Firstly, drink plenty of pure water every day. Not tea or coffee, not soft drink or sports drinks, not juice or alcoholic beverages – but just water. At least 8 to 10 large glasses of pure water each day. Personally, many dentists I know drink closer to 12 to 14 large glasses per day. Find your own best level, but do not overdo it. You can drown from drinking stupid amounts of liquid. Dry mouth is a major contributor to poor oral health and gum disease. You need to keep your saliva levels up and staying hydrated is an important part of this. Smoking is a real bad boy for the mouth. Drinking too much alcohol is, also, a dehydrating negative input for your oral health. Likewise coffee and tea are, via the caffeine, not good for your oral health in excess. Drinking plenty of pure water is the single best thing you can do for your health, period.

Diet Is Crucial For Avoiding Liver Cancer

Next, a healthy balanced diet with lots of green leafy vegetables is great for your body. Processed foods and fast foods, junk food, soft sugary drinks, and eating too much meat is not good for your health. Your microbiome, the good bacteria in your gut, need to be fed fibre for best results. There are numerous studies showing how important fibre is to having the right kind of bacteria in your microbiome. Junk food attracts bad bacteria and the Gut-Brain-Axis means that depression and other mal-mood manifestations can occur.

We are what we eat – quite literally. Remember we eat fibre not for our own nourishment but for our gut bacteria. Those many trillions of microorganisms that feed on fibre do so to power themselves to do all the essential metabolic functions we require. You can define fibre as – the indigestible element of plant foods. Plant fibre can be sourced from fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

“The biological mechanisms by which poor oral health may be more strongly associated with liver cancer, rather than other digestive cancers, are currently unclear. One explanation is the potential role of the oral and gut microbiome in disease development. “The liver contributes to the elimination of bacteria from the human body,” stated Jordão. “When the liver is affected by diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or cancer, its function will decline and bacteria will survive for longer and therefore have the potential to cause more harm. One bacterium, Fusobacterium nucleatum, originates in the oral cavity but its role in liver cancer is unclear. Further studies investigating the microbiome and liver cancer are therefore warranted.”
– The Dental Tribune

Dental Oral Health Tips

Floss for best results!

Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft bristled brush. Spend some time doing a thorough job rather than a cursory on-automatic slap dash affair. Especially, as we get older, we must take even better care of our teeth and gums. Men – don’t go at it too hard, as you can make things worse. Careful brushing rather than violent attacks.

Mouthwash can be good, maybe once a week.

They say that the eyes are windows to the soul. Perhaps, our oral cavity is a direct line to our liver. Poor dental hygiene and oral health is going to greatly increase your risk of developing liver cancer. The science tells us by some 75%. It is time to pay real respectful attention to your teeth and gums. Ignorance isn’t bliss when you have gum disease and bad teeth.

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