It’s been a long day, and you’ve just got cosy in bed when you remember you haven’t done your teeth. We’ve all been there. But new research shows that taking good care of your gnashers gives you a much higher chance of surviving some forms of cancer.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina studied the health data of 2,500 head and neck cancer patients from across the world.
The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute counts at least six visits to the dentist within a decade as frequent.
People who visited the dentist frequently had a 74 per cent survival rate over a five-year period, compared to a 54 per cent survival rate in those who did not visit the dentist at all.
Going to the dentist more frequently increases your chances of being diagnosed early, catching the disease at a less-deadly stage, and providing crucial treatment time.
Patients with no remaining natural teeth were 15 per cent less likely to survive over a five-year period than people with more than 20 natural teeth. (Most adults have 32 teeth – or 28 if you’ve had your wisdom teeth removed).
Using data from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium, the researchers also analysed data concerning other aspects of cancer patients’ oral health. As well as patients’ dentist visits and natural teeth counts, they looked at their gum bleeding, tooth brushing frequency, and mouthwash use.
However, the scientists found that suffering from bleeding gums, or using mouthwash or brushing their teeth more frequently, didn't significantly change a person's survival chances.
Nevertheless, the study author stresses that good oral health is necessary to avoid losing teeth. "Maintaining a healthy dentition heavily relies on brushing twice, using floss or interdental brushes and attending regular dentist appointments (at least every six months)," study author Jason Tasoulas told BBC Science Focus.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer in the world. It is often caused by tobacco use and alcohol consumption.
“Our hope is that these findings become a standard part of guidelines implemented for the prevention and management of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in the near future,” said corresponding author Dr Antonio L Amelio.
About our expert
Jason Tasoulas is a PhD candidate at the University of North Carolina, USA. His research has been published in the journals Translational Cancer Research, Trends in Cancer, and Oncogene.
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