New research has revealed that one thing you’re doing in the morning could increase your risk of cancer significantly.
This is something for you to remember tomorrow when you’re looking in the bathroom mirror.
When you run through that mental tally of everything you have to do to get ready for the day, you’re probably thinking how to get everything done as fast as possible so you can enjoy your cup of coffee and breakfast - but that’s a critical mistake.
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If you’re rushing this one thing, you could end up regretting it big time.
A study by US scientists have found if you don’t clean one particular area, you’re increasing your risk of developing two types of cancer in particular.
If you don’t develop cancer, you’re still at risk of diabetes and high blood pressure because of this one task.
The cancer you could be in for are head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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This is because the cancers are linked to bacteria in your mouth that can also cause gum disease.
Study author Professor Richard Hayes, from New York University (NYU) explained that having good oral hygiene is essential to minimising your risk of cancer.
So, don't rush brushing your teeth.
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He said: "Our results offer yet another reason to keep up good oral hygiene habits.
"Brushing your teeth and flossing may not only help prevent periodontal disease but also may protect against head and neck cancer."
In the UK, there are almost 13,000 new cases of head and neck cancer every year, and as the UK Adult Oral Health Survey found, only 30 per cent of people floss, there’s definitely a problem that needs to be fixed.
The symptoms of head and neck cancer are subtle, which means that when they become obvious, it tends to be in the later stages and harder to treat.
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Macmillan Cancer Support explained that nine in 10 head and neck cancers start in squamous cells, which are cells that cover the lining of the mouth, nose and throat.
The study, which was published in JAMA Oncology, followed the diets, lifestyles and medical history data around 160,000 people in the US who had to rinse with mouthwash and give them saliva samples.
They then tested the samples and the microbes and when following up 15 years later, 236 participants were diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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Their oral microbe DNA was then compared to the 458 participants who didn’t get cancer and found 13 different types of bacteria that could be linked to the cancer, increasing your risk by 50 percent.
The study co-author said: "Now that we have identified key bacteria that may contribute to this disease, we next plan to explore the mechanisms that allow them to do so and in what ways we can best intervene."
Britt Jones