American researchers have found that periodontal disease and periodontitis can lead to any form of cancer. In this case, the risk group is women in the postmenopausal phase, even if they do not smoke. An article by scientists was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, briefly described in a press release on the EurekAlert! Website.
Various studies have shown that diseases of the soft tissue surrounding the tooth (periodontium) can cause various forms of cancer, such as tumors of the esophagus, oral cavity and breast. However, it was not known how periodontitis and other periodontal lesions are associated with all types of malignant neoplasms.
Scientists analyzed data on the state of periodontal disease in more than 65 thousand women aged 54-86 years in 1999-2003. Also, experts assessed how often the study participants developed cancer before 2013. More than seven thousand cases of malignant tumors have been identified.
It turned out that periodontitis and periodontal disease increase the likelihood of developing cancer of any kind by at least 14 percent. The risk of developing a tumor of the esophagus increases threefold. At the same time, smoking contributes to the emergence of lung, gallbladder and breast cancer. Non-smoking women were more likely to suffer from melanoma.
Periodontitis is an inflammatory periodontal disease in which the tissues surrounding the tooth are destroyed. It is often confused with periodontal disease, which is characterized by gum atrophy.