Brush teeth to avoid cancer research finds

Getting children into a good tooth brushing routine may protect against cancer as well as tooth decay.

New research published in the online journal BMJ Open, finds that teeth persistently covered by dental plaque increases the risk of an early death from cancer by 80 per cent.

Plaque is a film of bacteria which covers the surfaces of the teeth and gums.

It can lead to tooth decay, gum inflamation and eventually tooth loss.

Researchers in the study tracked the health of 1,400 Swedish adults between 1985 and 2009.

By 2009, there had been 35 cancer deaths, with the average age of death for women 61 years of age and 60 for the men.

The researchers say that though dental plaque cannot be attributed to the cancer, statistically, it can be attributed to a 79 per cent increased risk of premature death.