Concerned about Your Risk for Prostate Cancer? Take Better Care of your Gums!

It is important that men become aware of the health risks they may face as they age. Two such problems that directly affect the men who visit our Chattanooga office are erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer. Rarely might one consider how either of these concerns may correlate with gum health? However, recent research has made a strong suggestion that we may want to pay closer attention to the link between them.

Gum health is something you discuss with your dentist, right? Yes, that’s true. At the same time, one of the aspects of gum disease, or periodontal disease, that all people are encouraged to understand is that this oral condition is involved in some health concerns. These range from cardiovascular disease to diabetes too, yes, erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer. The link between erectile dysfunction and gum disease has been suggested in previous studies. It is a newer study out of South Korea that we see a potential connection between poor oral health and an increased risk for prostate cancer.

This extensive cohort study (National Health Insurance Service-Health Examinee Cohort) was conducted over a 12-year period and involved data-collection of over 185,000 patients. Adjustments were made for potential adjunct risk factors, including age and coexisting health conditions such as diabetes. After taking into account the general health and lifestyle factors for each man, researchers concluded that the presence of periodontal disease increases a man’s risk of prostate cancer by 14%.

Understanding Risks

The way that periodontal disease increases the risk of prostate cancer may differ somewhat from its effect on other health matters. The reason that gum infection occurs is that multiple types of bacteria live in the mouth. These microorganisms may also disperse to other areas by entering the bloodstream. As bacteria spread throughout the body, the instance of systemic inflammation increases. Researchers believe that it may be the chronic natural of systemic inflammation that increases the risk for prostate cancer.

We understand the importance of getting a broad-view of a man’s general health as it pertains to the particular health concerns we specialize in. For personalized health care from an experienced urologist, call our Chattanooga office at (423) 778-4636.