In the scientific journal United European Gastroenterology, researchers at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland published the results of a study linking poor oral hygiene with liver cancer.

The study conducted over several years surveyed 469,628 British participants, aged 40 to 69, concluded that poor self-reported oral health was associated with a 75 percent increase in the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The most common primary liver cancer, and the third leading cause of cancer deaths.

Two Possible Theories

The study gave two probable theories, the first, people with bad oral health may be motivated to eat softer less nutritious foods.

Another theory is a bacteria called “Fusobacterium nucleatum”, which has its source in the oral cavity and is already recognized for its association with colorectal cancer.

Source: The association between self-reported poor oral health and gastrointestinal cancer risk in the UK Biobank: A large prospective cohort study.