BRUSH TEETH TO CUT TUMOUR RISK

BRUSHING your teeth regularly can slash the risk of cancer by more than a quarter, according to research.

Bugs that get into the bloodstream from bleeding gums cause deadly tumours by triggering inflammation, scientists fear.

The finding could lead to dentists being advised to warn patients of the threat helping to underline the importance of good oral hygiene.

It adds to growing evidence linking gum disease with a host of killer illnesses including heart disease, cancer and even dementia.

The 15-year study found those with severe periodontitis – gum disease – were 24 per cent more likely to develop cancer. And this rose to 28 per cent among patients whose gums were so bad their teeth had fallen out.

Lung cancer was the biggest risk, followed by bowel tumours. These are the two biggest cancer killers in the UK, claiming almost 36,000 and nearly 16,000 lives respectively each year.

The findings of the US study led by Professor Elizabeth Platz, of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, were published in the Journal Of The National Cancer Institute.

She said: “When we looked at the people who had never smoked, we still saw evidence that having more periodontal disease was related to an increased risk of lung cancer and colorectal cancer.”