A Hidden Epidemic and Breast Cancer

Women who have gum disease are 11 times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. In North America, 75% of adults suffer from various forms of gum disease or other oral pathologies. In other words, 75% of adult population is at increased risk of cancer because of poor oral health. Research published by Dr. Robert Jones found that there is a very high co-relationship between root canal treated teeth and breast cancer. In a five-year study of 300 breast cancer cases, he found that 93% of the women with breast cancer had root canals, 7% had other oral pathology. Further, breast tumours (in most cases), occurred on the same side of the body as the root canal.

One factor connecting oral pathology to breast disease is something called Chronic Apical Periodontitis or CAP.  CAP is a group of inflammatory conditions caused by microorganisms (mainly bacteria) infecting the necrotic root canal system. CAP often develops asymptomatically, and the prognosis is typically less favourable when it is detected late.  

In addition to higher incidents of cancer, root canal treatments also contribute to a higher risk of heart attacks. The DNA of oral pathogens typical of the root canal and gum-infected flora is consistently found in coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

Thus chronically infected teeth, both with and without root canal treatments, due to its extraordinary ability to deplete antioxidants and promote chronic inflammation in affected tissues and organs, can be considered the single most important cause of heart attacks and single most important cause of head, neck and breast cancer.

I have been researching and lecturing on this subject for well over a decade, and it is astounding that most health professionals remain yet in the dark about this while the evidence is overwhelming. 

So, what can you do and how can you find out if you have oral inflammation even if you have no symptoms? 

First, you should understand that while regular dental checkups may be necessary, the conventional dental methods may not be useful in identifying the problem discussed here. Regular dental x-rays will not detect early signs of CAP or other oral pathologies and infections. 

However, with the use of thermography, we have been able to locate these inflammatory conditions at their earliest stage and alert many patients to help them rectify problems before they lead to more severe disease.  Thermography should be incorporated into regular dental/oral examination to help identify conditions that lead to chronic inflammation.  

I want to encourage all of you who are reading this to take a very proactive attitude about your oral health. It may be one of the most significant factors in breast cancer prevention.