Kathryn Philpott-Hill served as a dental practitioner in Sylva, North Carolina, for more than 10 years. A member of the American Dental Association, Kathryn Philpott-Hill cared for patients with a wide range of dentistry issues.
One of the most important reasons for proper oral health care is preventing gum disease. A study recently published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention provides new evidence linking periodontal disease among older women with elevated cancer risk.
The research was part of a broad health study involving approximately 65,000 women with an average age of 68. Gum disease was linked with a 14-percent higher risk for cancer.
With associated cancers including lung, breast, and skin melanoma, women with gum disease were at highest risk for gallbladder and esophageal cancers. The authors of the study recognize that the specific mechanism behind this association is unknown, but they suggest that swallowed saliva may lead to gum pathogens reaching other parts of the body.
