Relationship Between Dental Plaque And Cancer

Did you know your oral health can actually provide big clues about your health overall? Were you also aware that issues within your mouth could affect the rest of your body too? Understanding the intimate connection between your oral health and your overall health can help you hugely. If you aren’t aware of the links between your overall wellbeing and oral health however, then you may never be able to see the small clues that your mouth is telling you about the rest of your body.

If you haven’t figured out enough reasons to take good care of your mouth, teeth and gums, the relationship between your oral health and your overall health provides even more, because choosing to practice a good oral hygiene equates to making an investment in your overall

As dental hygienists we are members of the healthcare community. That means that we have an extremely important role when it comes to the health of our patients. When patients present themselves in our treatment room, it is our responsibility to make sure we do not leave anything unexamined. We are professionals in the practice of identifying, preventing, and treating oral diseases. We do this by completing thorough extraoral and intraoral exams and being conscious of what to look for. One particular exam that we do is an oral cancer exam. As dental hygienists we are at the forefront in identifying this disease. In an article written by Nancy Burkhart, a coauthor of General and Oral Pathology for the Dental Hygienist, she states, “It is known that oral cancer is more likely to be detected in an early stage in the dental office than those found at a physician’s office, which tend to be at a later stage.” (Burkhart, 2014) This may be because dental hygienists focus more on the oral tissues than physicians do; or the fact that patients go to a doctor when it is already at advanced stages. It is imperative that we as dental hygienists know the signs and symptoms of oral cancer, as well as the risk factors involved in developing the disease and how it can be prevented. While it is important as a dental hygienist to identify oral diseases, it is more important to educate our patients on how they can avoid any potential abnormalities from becoming severe problems,

As stated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Each year, more than 30,000 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx are diagnosed and over 8,000 deaths due to oral cancer occur.” (CDC). Most adults are unaware that they have periodontal disease or gum disease, this occurs because they do not maintain routine checkups with their dentist. When we insert food and other bacteria into our mouths, it affects our teeth and gums. We need routine dental checkups and cleanings throughout our lives. Dental checkups usually involve x-rays, cleanings, and the examination of the mouth.

Dental problems can be almost entirely preventable. Bacterial plague is the cause of most tooth problems we experience such as tooth decay, bad breath and gum diseases.

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums, which is the initial stage of gum disease. The direct cause of gingivitis is plaque - the soft, sticky, colorless film of bacteria that forms on the teeth and gums. If the plaque is not removed by daily brushing and flossing, it will produce toxins that can irritate the gums causing gingivitis (Colgate. 2014).

Oral cancer is a devastating disease. Over eight thousand American lives are taken by oral cancer and only a fourth of these patients do not excessively drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, which are the two main causes of oral cancer (The Oral Cancer Foundation). Survival rates for oral cancer could be much higher if the population would take precautionary measures to reduce their chances of being diagnosed with oral cancer. When the use of alcohol and tobacco are decreased, the chances of acquiring oral cancer are also decreased. By visiting the dentist at least once every year, new lesions could be found. Unfortunately, only seven percent of the population, who visits the dentist regularly, receives a thorough oral cancer exam(The Oral

Many people overlook the necessity of daily flossing. Although brushing with fluoride-based toothpaste does prevent cavities, the brush tips sometimes cannot reach certain places of the teeth. There, plaque, a substance that has bacteria growing in it, can grow and cause dental problems that can range from more than a simple cavity. Gum disease, bleeding gums, bad breath, and the like can be the outcomes when one does not floss their teeth. As a result, flossing is highly recommended from many dentists, and it is equally as important to brushing teeth.

Cavities occur because dental plaque, a biofilm (Lackie, 2010), primarily made of Streptococcus mutans, produces acids from foods containing starches and sugars. These acids cause tooth decay, and if the acids are frequently present on the teeth, mineral loss on the tooth enamel can result, which is detrimental (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research [NIDCR], 2013). According to the CDC, cavities occur four times more frequently than asthma does in teens ages 14 to 17 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). In addition, almost 93 percent of seniors age 75 and older had dental caries, or cavities from 1999 to 2004 (Dye, 2007).

Oral cancer is one of the most common and threatening disease. Thousands have died and are continuing to die today in the United States and around the world. Numerous of people have been diagnosed from oral cancer this year in the United States and other countries like South Asia or in the Northwestern Europe. This typical cancer infused with strength can cause severe pain, discomfort, numbness around and inside the mouth. If the cancer is not treated quickly and properly,the cancer can spread to the body and affect other organs eventually leading to a death road. Oral cancer is sometimes difficult to cure if it's not detected on time in an early stage and it´s important to have precaution and spread awareness for this disease.

The human mouth is home to a complex biological environment in which a variety of microorganisms reside. With its composition of bone in the jaw, muscle in the cheeks and tongue, epithelium covering most structures, and teeth with a calcium enamel layer, organisms living in the mouth are selected that have structures built to withstand and utilize anything that passes through their environment. The mouth, or oral cavity, plays a major role in human respiration and digestion, making it a location in which various substances pass through and the environment can quickly change. In order to increase chance of survival, bacteria of the teeth form a biofilm, known more commonly as plaque, within which they can grow together in a more defensive manner. Biofilms form when planktonic bacteria attach to a surface and secrete an extracellular matrix of polysaccharide, and as more microorganisms group together they create a film on the surface. (7) In the case of dental plaque, bacteria become less vulnerable to the effects of antimicrobial agents that are often found in toothpastes and mouthwashes, as well as showing physiologic variations of structure compared to planktonic organisms that have not yet settled into a biofilm. (2) This formation also allows the bacteria to become more

The body is interconnected. A clean mouth promotes a healthy heart. One of the most preventable heart conditions, a diseased mitral valve, can be avoided with good oral hygiene. Additionally, a heart infection called endocarditis begins in the mouth.

Dental plaque is a problem that many people have heard of when it comes to their oral health, but you might not fully understand what it is. Knowing the dangers of dental plaque is important, which why you may have the following 3 questions.

The build-up of unhealthy bacteria in the mouth leads to a host of problems. Periodontal disease, gingivitis and tooth decay are just a few of the results. In order to avoid these awful problems, it's best to regularly brush your teeth and floss. If you can do it three times a day, this is ideal. If you can't, two times a day will suffice. Brush your teeth first thing in the morning and make sure you don't go to bed at night without brushing your teeth. Carry floss with you during the day so you can remove any build-up from food in between your teeth.

Have you ever thought about what could happen if you don't practice good oral hygiene? Have you ever thought about the fact that cavities can lead to even more serious dental problems? Do you know that if you aren't practicing good oral hygiene, you're opening the door to dental problems that isn't easy to close? If you don't take care of your teeth,think about how much harder easy life tasks would be for you. It is not that hard to simply brush your teeth twice a day and floss them once. The effects of not having good oral hygiene are cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.