Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer and Poor Hygiene

 

 

When visiting the dentist, it is easy to ignore the warnings from doctors and hygienists about the importance of brushing, flossing, and bi-annual visits.  Often patients disregard these concerns, but Dr. Versman, Dr. Heller, and Dr. Beckman want you to know that home oral care is more than just keeping a clean mouth. Oral health is closely connected with the entire body as it is a gateway to the blood stream and to new diseases.  Periodontal Associates is constantly educating patients about the secondary effects on health and the progression of dangerous bacteria in the mouth.  In fact, gum disease resulting from poor oral hygiene and gum disease has been linked to the development of pancreatic cancer in men.

 

A study conducted out of Boston correlated the unnoticeable disease of periodontitis and pancreatic cancer after reviewing health related data from 51,000 men starting from 1986.  The study found men with history of gum disease have a 64% increased risk for developing pancreatic cancer versus men with great oral health.  (Maybe this is why there are so many male doctors like Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman in the Periodontal field.)  Furthermore, the more severe the gum disease is the higher the risk.  For example, gum disease can progress to the extent of recession, pocketing, and tooth loss.  These patients not only need to visit our Aurora, CO office for dental implants, but they now have higher chances of forming cancer in the pancreas.

 

This study has not been the only link between these two seemingly different diseases.  Former studies have also found links between tooth loss and risk of cancers like pancreatic.  Those suffering from gum disease have a higher level of C reactive protein (CPR) in their blood.  These are inflammatory markers responsible for the first response to inflammation in the gums caused by infection and have been specifically noticed in persons with pancreatic cancer.

  

Pancreatic cancer, versus other cancers, has the highest fatality rate among American men and women where less than 5% of patients survive longer than 5 years after diagnosis.  These numbers can be scary, and although it is not confirmed that gum disease is a cause or a direct link to pancreatic cancer, it is important to preserve your health as best as possible to fight off any chance of this and other diseases. 

At Periodontal Associates, Dr. Versman, Dr. Heller, and Dr. Beckman are experts and professionally trained to diagnose and treat gum disease. Many of our Denver metro patients are sent by their general dentist as only Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman are specialists in curing the infections of the mouth.  Don't hesitate to visit our Aurora office for your next exam.  This visit could save your life and your smile.  Call us at (303) 755-4500 to schedule your comprehensive oral exam today.   



Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer Awareness Month

 

April is a month for recognition and awareness of the ever growing concern of cancer, more specifically oral cancer.  Cancer is a word that can send shivers down anyone’s spine, but Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman will tell you that being proactive is the best way to keep this disease at bay.   

Approximately 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer in 2013, and many patients will be unaware until a periodontist like Dr. Ken Versman, Dr. Doug Heller, or Dr. Eric Beckman diagnose it.  At Periodontal Associates we perform comprehensive periodontal exams on all of our Denver patients to detect not only gum disease but any abnormalities that may or may not be cancerous.  The ever growing concern of oral cancer is just one out many reasons why it important to keep up with bi-annual dental exams and cleanings.  Although proper cleanings alone cannot prevent oral cancer, as genetics, diet, and lifestyle are larger causes of cancers, the chances of early detection and treatment are more probable.   

One of the larger lifestyle risks for developing oral cancer is the use of tobacco products and smoking.  Some companies even claim ‘smokeless’ tobacco products like chewing tobacco are not as harmful as smoking; however it only less harmful in terms of lung cancer.  Smokeless tobacco is just as damaging in terms of periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancer, pancreatic cancer, and chronic infections.  Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman stress to their patients the need to avoid ALL tobacco products as it not only causes cancer and disease, but it also slows down the body’s ability to heal. 

 

In conjunction with tobacco, the HPV virus is another lead into why oral cancer is increasing especially in young non-smokers.  The human papilloma virus, or better known as HPV, is a disease transmitted sexually between partners.  It is known that HPV16, 1 strain out of 130, is increasing the incidents of oral cancer. Most people in the U.S. will contract some version of HPV but only 1% of those who contract HPV16 will have a decreased immune system in response.  The decreased immune system can then lead to cancers such as oral or cervical.  

Oral cancer is very hard to detect, and the reason the death rate is increasing due to oral cancer is mainly based on the late detection as those who are suffering from it do not notice the signs/symptoms or they are not visiting their dentist regularly.   Oral cancer can be painless and have little physical marks.  The benefit of visiting our office in Aurora, CO is that Periodontal Associates are gum specialists, meaning Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman will be able to notice the slightest of changes in the look or feel of tissue to detect signs of cancer first.   However, some noticeable changes to be aware of are white or red patches of tissues or small ulcers.  The mouth goes through many benign changes as we eat, drink, and speak so an exam with our periodontal specialists is the best method versus relying on home detection.  If you have experienced a sore or discolored area for more than 14 days, do not hesitate to visit our Aurora office.

Currently about 8,000 deaths a year are attributed to oral cancer, equaling about 1 death every hour.  Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman are your fist line of defense so be sure to come to Periodontal Associates in Aurora, CO for an exam today and we may save your life.  For more information, please call us at (303) 755-4500 or visit our website  at www.periodontalhealth.com to learn about other periodontal concerns or dental implants. We look forward to watching over you and your family while providing the highest quality of dental health care.

Coffee and Cancer

Coffee may Lower your Risk for Oral Cancer

Periodontal Associates has good news for a 100 million Americans out there. Your daily coffee drinking habit may not be as bad as you once thought! The University of Milan published findings that suggested coffee could help decrease the chances of developing mouth and throat cancers. 

In fact, coffee drinkers have 39% less risk if drinking less than five cups of caffeinated coffee a day.  400,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every year, and it is the sixth most common cancer.   This new finding could prevent 156,000 people from oral cancer. 

In Denver, CO this news is very important as the cool weather makes snuggling up to a warm cup of coffee so inviting, especially since over half of the American population over the age of 18 drinks coffee every day.  For all of these great reasons, Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman always keep a hot and fresh pot of coffee on hand at the Aurora office. 

The study was published in the Cancer and Epidemiology Biomarks and Prevention journal.  The researches reviewed nine other oral cancer studies comparing 5,139 people with head and neck cancer to 9,028 people without cancer, and they found a common variable.  Coffee contains 1,000 different chemical and anti-oxidants that were also found in decreasing the risk of cancer in former studies.  These anti-oxidants have cancer fighting properties.  

Between all the contents, Professor André van Zyl said it was not yet known which specific substances provided anti-carcinogenic properties in coffee. ”Which of these substances actually protect against cancer in humans is a question for future studies,” he said.

It was also not clear which type of coffee was more beneficial, “but espresso is regarded as more concentrated beverage than percolated coffee – up to a factor of three”, said Van Zyl.  However, researchers do know that it is not the caffeine component as green tea drinkers did not experience the same effect.

The cancer fighting properties in coffee and certain foods does not stop at oral cancer, but coffee has also been linking to lowering the risk of womb and colon cancers while also helping cardiac disease.

Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman hope these studies can better promote the important of early detection and prevention instead of focusing on treatment.  Visiting us at Periodontal Associates is a huge step in the right direction as each doctor completes a full oral exam designed for cancer screening.  Patients need to be educated about the danger signs and how they may play a role in ensuring earlier diagnosis and, consequently, better survival rates.

Dr. Versman, Dr. Heller, and Dr. Beckman are specialists in oral health, and are prime fighters of not only oral cancer but gum disease as well.  Periodontal Associates works closely with each of our patients and their general dentist to give them individual treatment plans and optimum health! You cannot have a healthy body without a health mouth. If you have any questions or have not been in to see a dentist in over 6 months, give us a call at (303) 755-4500 and Drs. Versman, Heller, and Beckman will be sure to give you a through exam.  You can also schedule an appointment by clicking here or visiting us at www.periodontalhealth.com.