Breast Cancer and Periodontal Health

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! So many of our loved ones have suffered, survived and some have been lost…and we want to do everything we can to help raise awareness and #beatbreastcancer.

Of course the disease is a mystery in so many respects, but as research and treatments continue to advance, new truths continue to come to light about the impact of your oral health on your risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. For instance, did you know that post-menopausal women with gum disease seem to be at higher risk of developing breast cancer? According to a study published in January 2016 by Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, “Periodontal disease, a common chronic inflammatory disorder, was associated with increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, particularly among former smokers who quit in the past 20 years.”¹

Another study published in December 2018 came to the following conclusion: “Periodontal disease may be a potential risk factor for the development of breast cancer among women, and thus effective periodontal therapy may present as a valuable preventive measure against breast cancer.”²

So what can you do? How can you help reduce YOUR risk of breast cancer AND increase your overall health? Well, there’s no magic to it…but simple, routine periodontal and oral healthcare may be a small but significant part of prevention:

    • Brush and floss daily
    • Eat a healthy diet
    • Visit your periodontist regularly
    • Avoid cigarettes and tobacco

While no one can guarantee the extent of the impact of proper periodontal care on your personal risk of developing breast cancer, we want to encourage ALL WOMEN to do everything they can to live healthy and fulfilled lives…and proper oral healthcare is a significant part of that!

And if you have not had your regular periodontal cleaning due to the disruption that COVID has been in our lives and community, don’t wait any longer. Schedule your appointment today. Our office and staff is committed to your health and well-being, and we are doing everything we can to protect our staff and our patients from exposure.

#stayhealthy #staysafe

SOURCES:
¹ American Association for Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, https://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/25/1/43
² Women’s Cancer: Frontiers in Oncology, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6299876/

Posted by orthdds on Oct 13th, 2020 9:58 am
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