According to a study from Queens University Belfast to poor oral hygiene can increase the risk of liver cancer.
Published in the United European Gastroenterology journal the research shows that individuals suffering with bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and loose teeth have “a 75 per cent increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma”.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary liver cancer. Statistics from Cancer Research UK show that there are around “6,200 new liver cancer cases in the UK every year, that's 17 every day.” Analysis of cancer mortality rates also shows that “Liver cancer is the 8th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, accounting for three per cent of all cancer deaths.”
Queens University academics analysed 469,628 participants. To establish a baseline for the participants oral health they were all asked to indicate if they suffered from any conditions including: mouth ulcers, painful gums, bleeding gums, loose teeth and toothache.
Researchers then tracked participants over several years. Of the cohort, 4069 developed incident gastrointestinal cancer. 531 (13 per cent) of these cancer cases reported poor oral health.
Speaking to The Express, Doctor Haydée Jordão from the center of public health at Queen's University Belfast and lead author of the study, explained: "Poor oral health has been associated with the risk of several chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
"However, there is inconsistent evidence on the association between poor oral health and specific types of gastrointestinal cancers, which is what our research aimed to examine.
“The liver contributes to the elimination of bacteria from the human body.
"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 bacteria, 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."
Read the full study here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1177/2050640619858043