Private MD News

PSA test recommended for men with gum disease diagnoses

Updated: 2009-07-30 22:53:28 CST Category: Prostate

by Laurent Castellucci

Men who go to a dentist and find that they have periodontal problems like gingivitis may also want to obtain a PSA test to check for prostate cancer, new research suggests.

It may also be easier to use "the five-alarm fire bell of a tooth ache [that] is difficult to ignore," to begin testing for chronic conditions, says Dr Phillipe Hujoel.

Dr Hujoel says that the focus on fats, not carbohydrates, has led to an increased number of sugars, which can weaken enamel and promote decay.

With new research linking oral health problems with inflammatory conditions like diabetes and heart failure, Hujoel says that a tooth ache could be the sign of another disease as well.

"Dental decay may really be a marker for the chronic high-glycemic diets that lead to both dental decay and chronic systemic diseases," he hypothesizes.

While limiting sugar intake could reduce one's risk, a PSA test can help concerned men know for sure if past treats could cause future problems.

Many doctors have stated that the best defense against some conditions such as prostate cancer is to catch the disease early through a PSA test.

Related Articles from Private MD:

• New methods improve ability to predict return of prostate cancer
  
• Prostate cancer progression may be slowed by green tea
  
• Late-stage cancer a higher risk for city-dwellers
  
• New prostate cancer vaccine may increase survival rate
  
• Prostate cancer best caught early
  

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