Oral Bacteria Linked to Pancreatic Cancer

Gum disease and pancreatic cancer may be associated with one another, according to the British Dental Health Foundation. Published in the journal Gut, the study found that certain types of bacterium present in the formation of gum disease is linked to a 2 times higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. On the other hand, oral bacteria that is not harmful resulted in a 45% decreased risk of pancreatic cancer. A 2007 study, conducted by the same researchers, found that men with a history of periodontal disease had a 64% increased risk of pancreatic cancer than men who did not. The experts say they cannot yet prove that gum disease increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, but they say that the new research is evidence that there is a significant association between the two. Earlier studies have said there is a correlation between the two diseases. However, it is not clear whether certain bacteria found in gum disease are a cause or a result from pancreatic cancer. Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, which depend on the size, tissue type, and location of the tumor may include: • Loss of appetite • Weight loss • Jaundice (yellowish coloring of eyes and skin) • Upper abdomen pain • Trousseau sign - a medical sign present in certain cancers • Clinical depression • Diabetes mellitus Dominique Michaud, a Brown University epidemiologist, said: "This is not an established risk factor. But I feel more confident that something is going on. It's something we need to understand better." Co-lead author of the study, Jacques Izard from the Forsyth Institute and Harvard University agreed with Michaud. He explained, "We need to further investigate the importance of bacteria in pancreatic cancer beyond the associated risk." The study found that pancreatic cancer was responsible for 7,901 deaths out of 20,104, and in England, a mere 4% of pancreatic cancer patients lived for more than 5 years. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said that if there is even the slightest evidence of an association between pancreatic cancer and gum disease, this should be enough to remind people of how critical good oral health is. He said: "This research provides further ammunition to the growing belief these two disease could be related. There is no escaping the fact that poor oral health has some role to play, as a number of studies are now starting to show. What we must remember is oral health is relatively simple to maintain. The Foundation's three key messages- brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, cutting down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend- are a great starting point for maintaining good oral health. If you have swollen gums that bleed regularly when brushing, bad breath, loose teeth or regular mouth infections appear, it is likely you have gum disease. If any of these symptoms persist, your dentist may be able to help you."

Modern Diet Is Rotting Our Teeth

A study of the evolution of our teeth over the last 7,500 years shows that humans today have less diverse oral bacteria than historic populations, which scientists believe have contributed to chronic oral diseases in post-industrial lifestyles. The researchers, from the University of Adelaide's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), the University of Aberdeen (Dept of Archeology), Scotland, and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, England, published their study in Nature Genetics. The authors say that analyzing the DNA of calcified bacteria on the teeth of humans throughout modern and ancient history "has shed light on the health consequences of the evolving diet and behavior from the Stone Age to modern day". The scientists explained that there were negative changes in oral bacteria as our diets altered when we moved from being hunter-gatherers to farmers. Further changes were observed when humans started manufacturing food during the Industrial Revolution. Study leader Professor Alan Cooper, ACAD Director, said, "This is the first record of how our evolution over the last 7500 years has impacted the bacteria we carry with us, and the important health consequences." The introduction of processed sugar may have completely changed the composition of oral bacteria in humans. "Oral bacteria in modern man are markedly less diverse than historic populations and this is thought to contribute to chronic oral and other disease in post-industrial lifestyles." The scientists extracted DNA from calcified dental plaque (tartar) from 34 prehistoric human skeletons from northern Europe. They examined the changes in the nature of oral bacteria that were first present in prehistoric hunter-gatherers, through to the Bronze Age when farming became established, then to Medieval times and finally to the Industrial Revolution and later. Dr Christina Adler, lead author, who was a PhD student at the University of Adelaide during the study, said "Genetic analysis of plaque can create a powerful new record of dietary impacts, health changes and oral pathogen genomic evolution, deep into the past." Dr. Adler now works at the University of Sydney. The modern mouth exists in a permanent disease state Professor Cooper said: "The composition of oral bacteria changed markedly with the introduction of farming, and again around 150 years ago. With the introduction of processed sugar and flour in the Industrial Revolution, we can see a dramatically decreased diversity in our oral bacteria, allowing domination by caries-causing strains. The modern mouth basically exists in a permanent disease state." Professor Cooper has been working with Professor Keith Dobney from the University of Aberdeen on this for the last 17 years. Professor Dobney said "I had shown tartar deposits commonly found on ancient teeth were dense masses of solid calcified bacteria and food, but couldn't identify the species of bacteria. Ancient DNA was the obvious answer." Scientists examined tartar deposits found on ancient teeth in their study. (Photo: Alan Cooper/University of Adelaide) Prof. Dobney explained that this study provides a completely new window on how human populations lived and died in the past. If we know the real genetic history of diseases humans still suffer from today, scientists might better understand them, and even treat them more effectively. "Being able to track them through time has huge implications for understanding the origins and history of human health - making the archaeological record extremely relevant and important to modern-day medics and geneticists," Dobney added. In an Abstract in Nature Genetics, the authors wrote that "modern oral microbiotic ecosystems are markedly less diverse than historic populations, which might be contributing to chronic oral (and other) disease in postindustrial lifestyles." It was not until 2007 that the team could control background levels of bacterial contamination properly. This became possible when ACAD's super-clean labs and stringent decontamination and authentications protocols became available. The scientists are now expanding their studies geographically and chronologically, and including other species, such as Neanderthals. There is some evidence that beeswax was used 6,500 ago in dentistry, scientists from Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy, explained in the open access journal PLoS ONE on 19th September, 2012.

Link Between Obesity And Gum Disease

: Impacting approximately one-third of the U.S. population, obesity is a significant health concern for Americans. It's a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer, and now, according to an article published in the January/February 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), it also may be a risk factor for gum disease. "We know that being overweight can affect many aspects of a person's health," says Charlene Krejci, DDS, MSD, lead author of the article. "Now researchers suspect a link exists between obesity and gum disease. Obese individuals' bodies relentlessly produce cytokines, proteins with inflammatory properties. These cytokines may directly injure the gum tissues or reduce blood flow to the gum tissues, thus promoting the development of gum disease." Half of the U.S. population age 30 and older is affected by gum disease - a chronic inflammatory infection that impacts the surrounding and supporting structures of the teeth. Gum disease itself produces its own set of cytokines, which further increases the level of these inflammatory proteins in the body's bloodstream, helping to set off a chain reaction of other inflammatory diseases throughout the body. Research on the relationship between obesity and gum disease is still ongoing. "Whether one condition is a risk factor for another or whether one disease directly causes another has yet to be discovered," says AGD Spokesperson Samer G. Shamoon, DDS, MAGD. "What we do know is that it's important to visit a dentist at least twice a year so he or she can evaluate your risks for developing gum disease and offer preventive strategies." The best way to minimize the risk of developing gum disease is to remove plaque through daily brushing, flossing, rinsing, and professional cleanings. "A dentist can design a personalized program of home oral care to meet each patient's specific needs," says