Rates of Cancer in Head and Neck Rise as Smoking Rates Decline

Rates of cancer in the head and neck continue to rise although smoking rates decline.

A study published in Cancer Epidermiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, delves into the theory that chronic gum disease is a risk factor for cancer in the head and neck.

Periodontitis has been linked to heart attacks and stroke for quite some time. The chronic gum disease involves a progressive loss of bone and soft tissue that surround the teeth.

Now scientists find with each millimeter of alveolar bone loss, the risk of developing cancer in the head and neck is reported to increase by more than 4 fold.

Scientist believe their findings on periodontitis explain why the rates of cancer in head and neck  rise as smoking rates decline.