tooth decay – Oral Cancer News

Green tea’s status as a ‘superfood’ grows: A study finds it even abolishes bad breath (it already helps prevent cancer and heart disease)

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: staff Green tea can help beat bad breath, according to scientific research. The study found that antioxidants in the tea, called polyphenols, destroy a number of compounds in the mouth that can lead to bad breath, tooth decay and even mouth cancer. The study from Israel’s Institute of Technology will add to green tea’s status as one of nature’s so-called ‘superfoods’. It is already said to help prevent cancer and heart disease and lower cholesterol – and even ward off Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Writing in the Archives of Oral Biology, the scientists called for more studies, adding: ‘All together, there is increasing interest in the health benefits of green tea in the field of oral health.’ Green tea is made from the same plant as black tea but processed in a different way that means it retains less caffeine and more polyphenols. It has been drunk in China and the Far East for thousands of years and is fast becoming popular in Britain particularly because of its health benefits. It is also more likely to be drunk without milk or sugar so it tends to contain fewer calories too. The study, published in the journal Archives of Oral Biology, examined the properties of the polyphenol called epigallocatechin 3 gallate (EGCG) in particular. It reported: ‘EGCG constitute the most interesting components in green tea leaves. ‘Tea polyphenols possess antiviral properties, believed to help in protection from influenza. ‘Additionally green tea polyphenols can abolish halitosis through modification of odorant sulphur [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-03-14T12:18:27-07:00March, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

If teeth could talk…

Source: wsj.com Author: Melinda Beck The eyes may be the window to the soul, but the mouth provides an even better view of the body as a whole. Some of the earliest signs of diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, immune disorders, hormone imbalances and drug issues show up in the gums, teeth and tongue -- sometimes long before a patient knows anything is wrong. There is also growing evidence that oral health problems, particularly gum disease, can harm a patient's general health as well, raising the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, pneumonia and pregnancy complications. "We have lots of data showing a direct correlation between inflammation in the mouth and inflammation in the body," said Anthony Iacopino, director of the International Centre for Oral-Systemic Health, which opened at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry in Canada in 2008. Recent studies also show that treating gum disease improves circulation, reduces inflammation and can even reduce the need for insulin in people with diabetes. Such findings are fueling a push for dentists to play a greater role in patients' overall health. Some 20 million Americans -- including six percent of children and nine percent of adults -- saw a dentist but not a doctor in 2008, according to a study in the American Journal of Public Health this month. "It's an opportunity to tell a patient, 'You know, I'm concerned. I think you really need to see a primary care provider,' so you are moving in the direction of better health," said [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-01-02T06:53:06-07:00January, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Consider dental issues before beginning cancer treatment

Soure: www.curetoday.com/ Author: Lacey Meyer Dentists advise resolving tooth and gum issues before starting cancer treatment. Bettye Davis admits she has never had very good teeth. But when she received a diagnosis of salivary gland cancer, she was surprised that her oncologist recommended she visit a dentist before beginning radiation treatments to her jaw. “When we first saw her, she still had quite a few teeth, but she had severe periodontal disease and severe bone loss,” says Dennis Abbott, DDS, Davis’ dentist. Knowing radiation would do more damage, he recommended removing the remainder of her teeth and allowing time to heal before she began 33 radiation treatments. “We knew that if we took the teeth out after radiation, we risked the bone not healing well, which would have meant osteonecrosis, dead bone in her mouth, and lots of systemic problems.” According to the National Cancer Institute, eliminating pre-existing dental and mucosal infections and instituting a comprehensive oral hygiene protocol before and throughout therapy can reduce the severity and frequency of oral complications from cancer therapy. Abbott says the NCI recommendations, as well as an increasing number of studies, are bringing more recognition to the importance of dental issues before, during and after cancer treatment. A Proactive Approach Abbott’s goal is to help patients maintain healthy teeth and reduce the risk of future infection with an oral care plan that eliminates or stabilizes disease that could produce complications during or following therapy. These complications can range from irradiated bone and gums [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-12-22T15:08:57-07:00December, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Poor oral health can be passed through generations

Source: www.dentistryiq.com Author: staff A new 27-year research project suggests that mothers with poor oral health are likely to have children who also have poor oral health when they reach adulthood. The long-term study of more than a thousand children born in New Zealand in 1972 and 19731 provides strong evidence that the children of mothers with poor oral health are more likely to grow up with above average levels of tooth loss, tooth decay, and fillings. The findings strengthen the notion from previous research that adult oral health is affected by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.2 The research compared the oral health of the children at the age of 5 in 1978, and again at the age of 32. The findings were compared with the mother’s own self-rated oral health measured in 1978. Analysis 27 years later indicated that approaching half of children (45.1%) whose mothers rated their oral health as "very poor" had severe tooth decay. Around four in every 10 children (39.6%) experienced tooth loss in adulthood. The research commented on the influence of environmental risk factors on oral health including socioeconomic status (SES), attitudes, beliefs, and oral health-related knowledge persisting across generations, providing further evidence of how a mother’s view of her own oral health can affect that of her child’s. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation Dr. Nigel Carter said: "These findings represent important confirmation of a trend that has long been recognised. Work by Per Axelsson in Sweden in the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-07-11T14:22:45-07:00July, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Saliva tests may help with disease diagnosis

Source: www.readingeagle.com Author: John Reitz, DDS The Dentist's Chair Jim: With the newly discovered connection between oral health and overall health, is there anything a dentist can tell about my overall health from looking in my mouth? Dr. Reitz: Dear Jim, a dentist can tell if you have gum disease and tooth decay by looking in your mouth, but to determine your overall health he may need a sample of your saliva. Instead of having just a blood test by your physician, your dentist will soon have the ability to diagnosis systemic disease by doing a saliva test. In dental school I was taught that saliva's function was to neutralize acids and help swallow food. We are now finding that saliva is more complex than originally thought, containing over 1,000 different proteins. The question now is why are the proteins there. Recent advances in technology have found saliva contains indicators, either genes or salivary proteins called biomarkers, of systemic disease. Of the 1,000 salivary proteins already identified, only specific proteins are found in patients with systemic disease. Research at the University of California, Los Angeles is expected to get Food and Drug Administration approval within two years for a saliva test that can detect pancreatic cancer. Other studies have found biomarkers for breast cancer, oral cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and autoimmune disorders. In addition to finding systemic diseases, saliva tests will determine a person's chances of getting tooth decay. Some promising studies have identified biomarkers for a predisposition to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-02T11:20:17-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|