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Skipping essential hygiene routine increases risk of neck cancer, shows study
Maintaining overall hygiene is essential not just to ward off bad odor from your mouth or body, but the same is said to prevent the risk of a deadly disease.
Although oral health should be prioritized, one dentist outlines three times you should never brush your teeth, including right after finishing your meal. However, the findings of a recent study reveal why you should never skip it.
Poor oral health increases risk of head and neck cancer
Quitting smoking isn’t enough to protect yourself from the dangers of head and neck cancer, as researchers have found bacteria in the mouth which is equally dangerous.
We already know that poor dental health is associated with the development of Alzheimers disease and related dementias as the month hosts a number of bacteria that can cause serious gum diseases, which can travel through the bloodstream to affect the brain.
Now, a new study published on JAMA Network links poor dental habits to neck and head cancer as oral bacteria�can increase the risk of the deadly illness by 50%.
While studying the oral conditions of participants with and without head and neck cancer, “13 oral bacterial species were found to be differentially associated with the development” of the said disease.
“The identified bacteria and bacterial complexes hold promise, along with other risk factors, to identify high-risk individuals for personalized prevention of HNSCC,” the study further notes.
Oral health problems are believed to put individuals at greater risk of other cancers affecting the stomach or esophagus. This is mainly due to the harmful substances produced by the bacteria the mouth hosts.
The correct way to brush your teeth
Applying extra toothpaste on your toothbrush doesn’t miraculously prevent your teeth and gums from developing infections.
In fact, dentists recommend using only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste while ensuring you do it at least twice daily.
Furthermore, you should never rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth as the water or mouthwash reduces the effectiveness of the chemicals that are meant to fight bacteria and germs.
The food can also get stuck between the teeth, which can’t be removed by brushing alone. Dentists recommend an additional step, which includes spreading a tiny amount of toothpaste on an interdental cleaning brush and pushing it in the gaps between your teeth, once or twice a day.
