Poor Oral Health Escalates Liver Cancer Risk

Poor oral health has been associated with the risk of several chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, said the study lead author Haydee WT Jordao from Queen's University Belfast

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jun, 2019 ) :Poor oral health has been associated with the risk of several chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, said the study lead author Haydee WT Jordao from Queen's University Belfast.

According to the researchers, of the 469,628 participants from the UK, 4,069 developed gastrointestinal cancer during the (average) six-year follow up. In 13 per cent of these cases, patients reported poor oral health.

Participants with poor oral health were more likely to be younger, female, living in deprived socio-economic areas and consumed less than two portions of fruit and vegetables per day, Medical daily reported.

The biological mechanisms by which poor oral health may be more strongly associated with liver cancer, rather than other digestive cancers, is currently uncertain. 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," Jordao said.

"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," he added.