A new study has been published linking dental plaque and cancer deaths. Check it out and then see Dr. Holleron’s take on it.
Dental Plaque Linked to Early Cancer Deaths, Study Claims
Dr. Holleron says…
I have downloaded the full text article and have read it, and the statistics are valid. For example, the article states that statistically there is (with a 95% confidence level) a correlation with the level of plaque and premature cancer deaths 24 years later.
It seems very unlikely however, in that they only measured plaque levels one time, in 1985 then they followed the participants up to 2006 and looked to see if they had died and if so, if they died from cancer. I wish there was a definite correlation because it would be much easier to get patients to come and get their teeth cleaned on a regular basis. I think the above mentioned study needs further clarification before we start using plaque levels as predictive of premature cancer deaths.
There is no cause and effect, there is also a casual relationship between those individuals that have “clefted” ear lobs and heart disease, but we don’t start treating everyone with clefted ear lobes for heart attack, there is an ASSOCIATION, but no cause and effect.
These are just my thoughts and I wanted to keep our patients up to date of recent literature publications, I’ll be continuing to follow this study and any others along these lines.
Barry
