BRUSHING your teeth may ward of pancreatic cancer, scientists now claim.The deadly form of cancer has been found to be linked to two types of bacteria that also cause gum disease.
A team of researcher in the US discovered that people who had these two bugs in their mouths were also up to twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer over the next 10 years.
The experts, who presented their results at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in New Orleans, said that their findings offered an “accessible” way to prevent the disease.

They also added that it could possibly give doctors a cheap and easy way to screen for the disease.

Pancreatic cancer is the eleventh most common cancer in the UK - with around 9,000 people diagnosed each year.

And it is also one of the most deadly.

Only three per cent of pancreatic cancer patients survive for five years - compared to 87 per cent for breast cancer and 98 per cent for testicular cancer.
The disease has very few symptoms in the early stages, so often goes undetected until the cancer is too advanced.

The symptoms - which include back ache, jaundice and weight loss - are often mistaken for those of indigestion, acid reflux or even a strain on the back.

The presence of bacteria in the mouth could offer an effective screening test when it comes to early treatment.
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The researchers, from New York University, tracked 732 people for over a decade, half of whom went on to develop pancreatic cancer and half remained well.

The scientists, who had taken oral samples at the beginning of the project, found that two forms of bacteria were directly linked to pancreatic cancer risk.

People with the P. gingivalis bug had a 59 percent greater chance of developing pancreatic cancer than those who did not, and those with the A. actinomycetemcomitans bug also had an increased risk of 119 per cent.

Both types of bug are known to be a cause of periodontitis - form of gum disease.

The team did add that they could not be sure that the bacteria actually caused the cancer - because they had only studied the statistical link.

Researcher Dr Jiyoung Ahn said: “Our study offers the first direct evidence that specific changes in the microbial mix in the mouth - the oral microbiome - represent a likely risk factor for pancreatic cancer along with older age, male gender, smoking, race and a family history of the disease.

“These bacterial changes in the mouth could potentially show us who is most at risk of developing pancreatic cancer.”

Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the UK Oral Health Foundation, added: “Further investigation into this association needs to be carried out but if confirmed there’s no reason why a saliva test to detect for pancreatic cancer could not be taken by your dentist.

‘”This would be an enormously important shift in diagnosis which could ultimately save thousands of lives a year.

“Poor oral health has been linked with a multitude of problems affecting our general health. Heart disease, strokes, diabetes and premature births are just some of the things which have all been heavily linked with an unhealthy mouth.

“What we must remember is oral health is relatively simple to maintain.

“Keeping to a good routine that involves brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste and cutting down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks, are just two of the relatively easy things you can do."

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