• 9/29/2004
  • Chicago, IL
  • no attribution
  • Journal of the American Dental Association

The Journal of the American Dental Association reported in its August edition that cigarette smoke combined with healthy saliva creates a mixture that can accelerate oropharyngeal cancer, according to researchers in the July 5 issue of British Journal of Cancer.

The report outlined that saliva contains antioxidants molecules that fight and neutralize harmful substances and help protect the body against cancer. Researchers examined its role in the development of oral cancer by recreating the effects of cigarette smoke on cancerous cells of the mouth. They exposed one-half of cancerous cell samples to cigarette smoke alone and the other one-half to a saliva and cigarette smoke mixture. They used cancerous cells in their study to assess quickly whether the saliva and smoke mixture would speed the cancer development.

Researchers found that cigarette smoke destroyed the antioxidants in the saliva and turned the saliva into a chemical mixture that could accelerate the development of mouth cancer. The longer the cancerous cells were exposed to the contaminated saliva, the more the cells were damaged.

“Most people will find it very shocking that the mixture of saliva and smoke is actually more lethal to cells in the mouth than cigarette smoke alone”, said study co-author Dr. Rafi Nagler. “Our study shows that once exposed to cigarette smoke, our normally healthy saliva not only loses its beneficial qualities but it turns traitor and actually aids in destroying the cells of the mouth and oral cavity. Cigarette smoke is not only damaging on its own, it can turn the body against itself.”