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(HealthCentersOnline) - Recent studies emphasize the importance of dental care in preventing or controlling diabetes and cardiovascular disease and possibly even avoiding cancer.

Brushing correctly twice a day, flossing correctly daily and seeing a dentist and hygienist two to four times a year are crucial in preventing gum disease. Eighty percent of adults have periodontal disease, according to Dr. Chris Kammer of the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, but many of them are unaware of it. The disease increases levels of bacteria that travel from the mouth to rest of the body, contributing to complications such as arterial plaque and atherosclerosis.

"Most people don't think of their dentist when it comes to health problems that are not found in one's mouth. But a dentist can actually be the first line of defense in reducing the risk for many of the most deadly diseases," Kammer stated in a news release issued this month.

Highlights of findings on the connection between oral health and serious diseases:

• Periodontal disease can result in tooth loss, which increases risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart attack.
• Dental care is especially important for people with diabetes because hyperglycemia complicates control of periodontal disease. For the millions of people with diabetes that has not yet been diagnosed, bleeding gums and other markers of periodontal disease can be symptoms of their diabetes and lead to diagnosis and treatment.
• Treating gum disease may reduce women's risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy, according to recent research.
• A recent study by the American Association for Cancer Research found that a history of gum disease increased men's risk of pancreatic cancer by 63 percent, even after accounting for other factors such as diabetes.

Kammer urged people with symptoms of periodontal disease, such as red gums or bad breath, to see a dentist. "If you washed your hands and they started to bleed, you would be alarmed, right? Then how come the majority of people are not alarmed when they brush their teeth and their gums bleed?" he noted.

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One would think that a woman who survived breast cancer would be extra vigilant about screening for recurrence, but new research shows that many survivors are not seeking annual mammograms.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School have discovered that the more time that passes after a woman beats breast cancer, the less likely she is to get her annual mammogram. Since breast cancer survivors have a greatly increased risk of having a recurrence of cancer, annual mammograms are essential to catch a problem early.

"It's an alarming trend," said study author Dr. Chyke A. Doubeni, assistant professor of family medicine and community health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

In a study that included almost 800 breast cancer survivors over the age of 55, Doubeni and colleagues found that as many as 80 percent were screened for recurrence in their first year after ending treatment. However, that percentage dropped to 63 percent by the fifth year. Additionally, only one-third of the women studied had an annual mammogram every year. All of the women in the study had health insurance and access to mammography centers. The results of the study are published in Cancer.

The risk of breast cancer recurrence is highest within the first five years after treatment, and survivors have three times the risk of having a recurrence as women who never had cancer. Even after a mastectomy, breast cancer can return, so no matter what the form of treatment, all breast cancer survivors should get yearly mammograms.

"It is imperative that efforts be made to increase awareness among healthcare providers and breast cancer survivors of the value of follow-up mammography," said Doubeni.

So, why would a woman who had to go through cancer treatment once, not do everything in her power to catch it early the second time?

"Denial can play a part in this," said Penny Damaskos, a social worker at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Because cancer patients are so afraid of getting a positive mammogram, Damaskos explained, they prefer not knowing and assume they are safe.

Other issues, beyond simply having health insurance, like working long hours or needing to find child care, often makes avoiding a mammogram that much easier for breast cancer survivors.

To change this trend, Damaskos recommends that doctors give every patient a "roadmap" to guide their medical care after cancer treatment. This would include a list of follow-up appointments that highlights the need for annual mammograms.

For those patients who resist getting mammograms, Damaskos has found that support groups may help. In studies, women who were at high risk for breast cancer were more likely to go for their mammogram if their paired up with a "buddy" to go with to the screening.

"Having a venue in your community can help get rid of the isolation and fear that a mammogram brings," she says.

By: Michael Perry, Photographs by: Piotr Sikora

Most people with primary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating, which is a hassle, but not deadly) first report the problem as children or teens, says John Eisenach, M.D., an exercise-and- sweat expert at the Mayo Clinic college of medicine. But secondary hyperhidrosis, unusual bouts of perspiration caused by an underlying disease, often begins suddenly in adulthood. Time to get thee to an M.D.

A normal sweat pattern is symmetrical. If one hand is wet and the other is completely dry, you could have a neurological problem. Same goes for sweat that pops up in random patches. Find a neurologist who specializes in the neurophysiology of hyperhidrosis (aan.com/public/find.cfm).

Abnormal sweating (too much or too little) at the site of an old but still painful arm or leg injury is a sign of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). In this disorder, undiagnosed nerve damage not only causes chronic pain, but also affects sweat production in the surrounding area. As with asymmetrical sweating, contact a neurologist.


It's one thing if you wake up drenched because you decided to wear flannel pajamas in July (or dreamed about Molly Sims wearing nothing). Otherwise, "recurrent oversweating during sleep is never normal," says Dr. Eisenach. Possible causes include Hodgkin's disease, HIV, supplemental niacin, or an antidepressant side effect. See your primary physician.