Doctor sends stark warning to anybody with missing teeth as he issues ’when to get help’ advice

A doctor has send an alarming warning to anyone who has missing teeth, with the alert being worse the less teeth you may have.

Dr Joe Whittington issued the warning over on Instagram after responding to another health service creator's post about 'saving somebody's life'.

It was all relating to a patient's teeth or rather, lack of - and what that meant for potential underlying health issues. And worryingly, that issue is cancer.

Established research shows there is a link between having missing teeth and having cancer; in particular, colorectal cancer (also known as bowel or colon cancer).

It is the third most common cancer in the world, according to the World Health Organization, and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

And in what might seem like a surprising link, your teeth falling out could actually be a warning sign about colorectal cancer in your body.

This type of cancer usually develops from something called precancerous polyps, which in simple terms are abnormal tissue growths in your bowel. If caught early, the cancer is highly treatable.

Dr Whittington explains that people with substantial tooth loss 'have about a 20 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer even after adjusting for smoking and other known colon cancer risk factors'.

He says: "So why would your mouth have anything to do with your colon?

"The leading theory is advanced gum disease; that bacteria that inflame your gums may also drive inflammation throughout your body. And chronic inflammation has been linked to higher risks of colon cancer.

"And it gets even more interesting. Some of these oral bacteria have actually been found inside colorectal tumours, where they may help promote growth of tumours."

As for when the alarm bells might start ringing, losing a single tooth isn't typically going to be warning sign of an underlying cancerous concern.

Instead, he said there is a very clear cut off point at to how many teeth you have left

"Now I know what you're wondering - how many missing teeth are we talking about? The increased risk was seen in people with fewer than 17 teeth compared to people with 25 to 32 teeth," the doctor says.

The doctor was referencing a 2018 study called Periodontal disease, tooth loss, and colorectal cancer risk: results from the Nurses’ Health Study in which it said women with less than 17 teeth had a higher risk of colon cancer.

"Women with fewer teeth, possibly moderate or severe periodontal disease, might be at a modest increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, suggesting a potential role of oral health in colorectal carcinogenesis," the study found.

But referencing scientific studies that have taken place, Dr Whittington said other studies have shown that people with gum disease that have lost only one to three teeth 'were at a higher risk of advanced precancerous colon polyps'.

"Now before anybody panics, missing one tooth does not mean anybody has colon cancer," he says.

"But missing several teeth due to gum disase, this is one more reason to make sure you're up to date on your colon cancer screenings and discuss your risk factors with your doctor."