Smart mouth

Natural Health, June, 2007 by Stacy Adimando

Happy, healthy gums could protect you from pancreatic cancer. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston tracked the medical records of nearly 52,000 adults for 16 years and recorded 216 cases of pancreatic cancer. After adjusting for smoking, diabetes, age, physical activity, and diet, the team concluded that people with severe periodontal disease--marked by chronic gum inflammation or tooth loss--were 63 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer (the results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in January 2007).

Head Dominique S. Michaud. Sc.D., assistant professor of epidemiology, says gum disease can introduce high levels of harmful bacteria into the mouth and abdominal organs, which may explain the link to pancreatic cancer. To keep your gums in good shape, the American Dental Association recommends you brush your teeth and tongue twice a day with a soft brush (place it at a angle and use short strokes), floss daffy, and see a dentist every six months.