Correlation of Oral Hygiene, Intake of Vegetables and Fruits with Risk of Gingival Cancer

Abstract

Objective To explore the effects of oral hygiene, vegetables and fruits intake on gingival cancer. Methods A case-control study including 131 patients pathologically confirmed as gingival cancer from October 2010 to November 2016 and 669 health controls was performed by questionnaire survey. Unconditional Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of oral hygiene, vegetables and fruits intake on gingival cancer. Results Teeth brushing < 2 times/day, lacking of teeth, wearing dentures, irregular dental visits and recurrent dental ulceration were risk factors of gingival cancer. We developed a composite oral hygiene score to measure the combined effects of various oral hygiene. The risk of gingival cancer among patients scored 3-5 was 6.991 times(95%CI: 4.267, 11.453) as those scored 0-2. Eating green leafy vegetables < 2 times/day, non-green leafy vegetables < 2 times/day, fruit < 1 time/day were risk factors of gingival cancer. The people scored 3-5 had higher risk of gingival cancer in all subgroups. Furthermore, the people with lower frequency consumption of green leafy vegetables, non-leafy vegetables and fruits had the higher risk of gingival cancer. Multiplicative interaction of green leafy vegetables, non-leafy vegetables, fruits with oral hygiene was observed. Conclusion The people with higher oral hygiene index have higher risk of gingival cancer. Eating green leafy vegetables < 2 times/day, non-green leafy vegetables < 2 times/day, fruit < 1 time/day could increase the risk of gingival cancer.

Keywords

• gingival cancer
• oral hygiene
• vegetables
• fruits