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A new study suggests that regularly brushing and flossing your teeth may reduce the risk of head and neck cancer. According to studies by American scientists, neglecting oral hygiene can increase the risk of not only diabetes and high blood pressure, but also head and neck cancer. Also read: Tips to Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, the new study found that more than a dozen of the hundreds of bacterial species that live in people’s mouths were associated with a collective 50 percent increased chance of developing head and neck squamous cells. are attached. Carcinoma (HNSCC). While small studies have linked some bacteria in these areas (the oral microbiome) to cancer, the exact types of bacteria most commonly involved remain unclear.
conclusion
The study, published in the journal JAMA Oncology, looked at the genetic composition of oral microbes collected from healthy men and women. Of the hundreds of different bacteria regularly found in the mouth, 13 species have been shown to increase or reduce the risk of HNSCC. Overall, this group was 30 percent more likely to develop cancer. In combination with five other species often seen in gum disease, the overall risk was increased by 50 percent.
“Our findings provide new insight into the relationship between the oral microbiome and head and neck cancer,” said study lead author Sooyoung Kwak, PhD. “These bacteria may serve as biomarkers for experts to characterize people at higher risk,” said Kwak, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Kwak says previous investigations had already detected some bacteria in tumor samples from people with these cancers. Then, in a smaller 2018 evaluation, the current research team explored how the germs might, over time, contribute to future risk of HNSCC in healthy participants.
Study emphasizes importance of good oral hygiene
Kwok says his latest study is the largest and most detailed analysis of its kind to date. It is one of the first to investigate whether organisms such as common fungi, yeast and mold, along with the bacteria that make up the oral microbiome, might play a role in HNSCC. New experiments found no such role for fungal organisms.
“Our results offer yet another reason to maintain good oral hygiene habits,” said study co-senior author Richard Hayes, DDS, MPH, PhD. “Brushing and flossing your teeth can help prevent not only periodontal disease, but also head and neck cancer,” said Hayes, a professor in the department of population health at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a member of its Perlmutter Cancer Center. Can save.” ,
The researchers emphasized that their study was designed to identify correlations between cancer risk and certain bacteria in the mouth, but not to establish a direct cause-and-effect link. This will require more research.
“Now that we have identified the key bacteria that may contribute to this disease, we plan to explore the mechanisms that allow them to do so,” said study co-senior author Jeong Ahn, PhD. allow and how we can best intervene.” Ahn is a professor in the Department of Population Health and Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and associate director of population research at its Perlmutter Cancer Center. Ahn cautions that although the additional risks from bacteria are worrisome, the overall incidence of head and neck cancer is quite uncommon.
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