Plaque—that sticky mix of mucus and bacteria that coats our teeth—is known for causing dental drama, such as cavities and bad breath.

It’s also been associated with major, systemic health problems, such as heart attacks.

I’m sorry to report this, but now new research adds yet another major health consequence to that list—premature death from cancer.

PLAQUE ATTACK

This startling study makes me want to keep my toothbrush really close at hand…

Swedish researchers began the study by asking subjects to undergo one dental exam in 1985, during which the amount of dental plaque on the teeth was measured. Then, tracking up to 24 years of medical records, the researchers analyzed who went on to die from cancer within that time period—and when.

Results: People who died of cancer during that 24-year follow-up period tended to have about 27% to 40% more plaque on their teeth than those who were still alive at the end of the study. That was true even when researchers controlled for other risk factors, such as smoking and not going to the dentist regularly.

Not only were those with lots of plaque more likely to die from cancer—their cancer-related deaths, on average, were considered premature. The average ages of death from cancer—60 for the men and 61 for the women—were about nine to 13 years shorter than the average life expectancies in developed countries.

INFLAMMATION OVERLOAD

Lead author Birgitta Söder, DrMedSci, PhD, a professor emerita in the department of dental medicine at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, told me that for some people, plaque on teeth triggers a systemic inflammatory response from the immune system, and inflammation is a key feature of many chronic diseases, including cancer. So it’s possible that people with lots of plaque weren’t able to recover from cancer because the plaque might have led to continuing high levels of systemic inflammation.

This news reinforces the importance of proper daily dental habits such as brushing and flossing at least twice a day. And it’s a good reminder to get a professional cleaning from your dental hygienist or dentist at least once every six months!