Dental Health Imaging, Jobs, Education & Resources

A recent study suggests that an infection from a widespread kind of mouth bacteria can eventually lead to colorectal cancer.

According to the research team from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, the bacteria, known as Fusobacterium nucleatum, can latch onto colon cells and set off a succession of changes that can contribute to colon cancer.

The team also managed to discover a way that thwarts the bacteria’s attempts of attaching itself to colon cells.

"This discovery creates the potential for new diagnostic tools and therapies to treat and prevent the cancer. The findings show the importance of good oral health," lead investigator and professor of periodontics, Yiping Han said in a university news release.

Han also mentioned that levels of the Fusobacterium nucleatum bacterium are much more prominent in individuals with gum disease.

And while the study found a possible correlation between oral infection and colon cancer, it was not able to prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

The study was published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, which also featured another study from a different research group displaying how F. nucleatum can hasten the amalgamation of cancer cells.