Hidden Cost of Gum Disease

New link found to head and neck cancer
The dangers of gum disease go beyond the mouth. It has been linked to heart disease, and more recent studies suggest it may also be a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, and now head and neck cancers. When researchers at the State University of New York examined X-rays of patients with periodontitis, they found that for each millimetre of alveolar bone (the ridge of bone that surrounds the roots of teeth and holds them in place) lost, the risk of head and neck cancer increased more than fourfold. "Gum disease causes chronic inflammation in the oral cavity," says Dr Mine Tezal, who led the research. "inflammation causes genetic changes in the mucosa (the tissue lining the mouth) and can ultimately lead to cancer."