As many of you may already know, October is breast cancer awareness month. All around the United States millions of women from all ages and different backgrounds are fighting for their lives due to this dreadful disease.
While preventing breast cancer isn’t possible, it is important to do everything in your power to minimize your risks.
At Babylon Dental Care , we want to bring to your attention a startling statistic from a study published on Medical News Today, which concludes that women who suffer from gum disease and missing teeth may be 11 times more likely to suffer from breast cancer at some point during their life.
Why is this the case?
Gum disease is the result of bacteria in the mouth. As gum disease progresses, it can attack the bone that anchors the teeth to your jaw, causing them to become loose or fall out.
In fact, several studies have suggested a connection between oral health and heart health. However, to make any definitive conclusions, more information on the relationship that gum disease has with breast cancer and heart health is needed.
Here’s what the Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr. Nigel Carter (who helped with the study), had to say:
“If future studies can also testify to the link between missing teeth and breast cancer, more has to be done to raise public awareness on the issue. The British Dental Health Foundation has a history of campaigning for better oral health, and the findings presented in the study indicate another clear link between your general and oral health.”
So what is the takeaway here?
The bottom line is that women need to understand that there is a possible link between breast cancer and gum disease. It’s very important to take care of your teeth and gums because the lasting effects can be far more widespread than just a few yellow teeth.
If it has been a long time since your last dental visit, then we encourage you to visit your dentist. If you are searching for a new dentist on the South Shore of Long Island in or around the West Babylon or Patchogue areas, please give our practice nearest you a call today!
We have two locations (Babylon Dental Care at Great South Bay and Babylon Dental Care at Gateway Plaza) and would love to meet you and your family.
