Researchers focused on what’s known as periodontal disease, serious
infections in the mouth caused by bacteria in dental plaque. Daily
brushing and flossing can prevent gingivitis, the milder form of
periodontal disease, but untreated cases can lead to permanent
damage to the gums and bone.
The new study involved 35 people with so-called precancerous
lesions: abnormal cells or sores in the digestive tract where cancer
is more likely to occur compared to normal tissue. The researchers
also studied a control group of 70 similar people who didn’t have
these lesions.

Overall, 32 percent of people with precancerous gastric lesions had
the kind of bleeding during dental exams that is a hallmark of
periodontal disease, compared with 22 percent of individuals without
precancerous lesions, the study found.
People with gastric precancerous lesions were also more likely to
have high levels of several types of bacteria in their mouths that
can contribute to periodontal disease.
“These bacteria are commonly found in periodontal pockets and are
invasive because they can produce a variety of molecules that can
cause damage to host tissue as well as host responses to bacterial
colonization, therefore contributing to cancer development,” said
senior study author Yihong Li, a researcher at the New York
University College of Dentistry in New York City.
“The periodontal pockets are not easy accessible by a regular
toothbrush and could serve as a reservoir of bacterial colonization
and potentially a source of chronic inflammation and carcinogenic
bacterial (growth),” Li said by email.
Many cases of gastric cancer are linked to smoking and eating foods
with a lot of salt or preservatives, researchers note in their
report in the Journal of Periodontology. Poor oral health has also
been tied to these tumors.
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The study wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove whether
or how oral health problems might contribute to stomach cancer, the
researchers note. Precancerous lesions also don’t always develop
into cancer.
Even so, the findings add to the evidence that periodontal disease
may play a role in the development of stomach cancer, said Jean
Wactawski-Wende, a researcher at the University at Buffalo who
wasn’t involved in the study.
Inflammation may play a role, Wactawski-Wende said by email.
Periodontal disease may cause inflammation in the mouth and also
contribute to inflammation throughout the body. Some bacteria from
the mouth might also travel from the mouth to the gastrointestinal
track.
“This study is small and not able to prove causation; however, there
is growing evidence that periodontal disease may be associated with
certain types of cancer, including GI cancer,” Wactawski-Wende
added. “Maintaining good oral hygiene through teeth brushing and
flossing and seeing a dentist regularly may be prudent.”

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2iBGny7 Journal of Periodontology, online
November 27, 2017.
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