Poor oral hygiene associated with risk of several chronic diseases

It is important to pay attention to oral care as poor oral health can increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by 75%, finds the study. The study published in the 'United European Gastroenterology Journal', analyzed a large cohort of over 469,000 people in the United Kingdom, investigated the association between oral health conditions and the risk of a number of gastrointestinal cancers, including liver, colon, rectum and pancreatic cancer. Participants with poor oral health were more likely to be younger, female, living in deprived socio-economic areas and consumed less than two portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

The biological mechanisms by which poor oral health may be more strongly associated with liver cancer, rather than other digestive cancers, is currently uncertain. One explanation is the potential role of the oral and gut microbiome in disease development. Another theory explaining the higher cancer risk due to poor oral health suggested that participants with a high number of missing teeth may alter their diet, consuming softer and potentially less nutritious foods, which in turn influence the risk of liver cancer.