Women with gum disease may need to watch out for cancer

New research has confirmed that periodontal disease is tied to an elevated risk of several types of cancer, such as esophageal cancer, breast cancer, and gallbladder cancer, especially in mature women.
Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is also known as "periodontitis" and it is caused by infection and inflammation of the gums. It affects many adults and it is particularly common among seniors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gum disease affects over 70 percent of people aged 65 and above in the United States.

Although the CDC note that this disease affects more men than women, a significant proportion (38.4 percent) of the adult female U.S. population live with periodontitis.

Recent research has shown that women with gum disease are also more likely to develop breast cancer. However, until now, no studies had looked at the impact of periodontitis on cancer risk more generally.

Jean Wactawski-Wende, Ph.D., from the State University of New York at Buffalo - in collaboration with colleagues from other U.S. institutions - has, for the first time, investigated the association between gum disease and several types of cancer in women.

The study confirmed previous findings, but it also revealed previously undetected connections, such as the link between gum disease and gallbladder cancer. The findings are published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.