Can A Simple Tooth Ache Lead To Cancer?

Updated Jan 23, 2025 | 12:32 PM IST

SummaryProstate cancer starts in the prostate gland, which is a part of a man's reproductive system. When it spreads to other parts of the body, like the jaw, it is called metastatic prostate cancer. But, why exactly the jaw? To know, continue reading.
Can A Simple Tooth ache Lead to Cancer?

Image Credit: Canva

Can a toothache be the reason for someone's cancer? An England based doctor and health content creator @Choji_ES who posts on X, formerly Twitter on reproductive health related content revealed a case where a man went to the dentist due to pain in his jaw and when the tooth was pulled out, a cancer was found in his private part.

The same case also been mentioned by Baridueh Badon (MD, MSc, MBA), who allows posts healthcare content on the same microblogging platform, by the username @BadonB.

Case Study

In this case, a man went to a dentist for a simple toothache, only to discover that he had cancer. This happened to a 78-year-old healthy man, who suffered pain in his lower jaw and noticed a loose tooth. When he went to the dentist, he decided to get his tooth remove to ease his pain. However, despite the removal, his jaw started to swell again. Confused, the man was recommended for a CT scan and something unexpected happened.

It was Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

As per an African proverb, it is true that the head and the body are one; what affects one may touch the other.

What Is Metastatic Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer starts in the prostate gland, which is a part of a man's reproductive system. When it spreads to other parts of the body, like the jaw, it is called metastatic prostate cancer. But, why exactly the jaw? This is because the jawbone is rich in blood and active bone marrow, which makes it a comfortable place for cancer cells to settle and grow.

As per a 2023 study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medicine, and Pathology, titled Mandibular metastasis from prostate cancer that clinically mimicked osteosarcoma: A case report, noted that in men, 11% of jawbone metastases originated from the prostate gland.

What Are The Signs To Look For?

Warning Signs Dentists Look For:

  • Persistent jaw pain or swelling
  • Loose teeth without a clear reason
  • Slow healing after a tooth extraction
  • Numbness or tingling in the jaw

These may seem minor, but they could hint at something serious. Early detection is life-saving.

Regular Checkups And Its Importance

Prostate cancer is the 4th common cancer globally and is most prone to men who are over 40. Every year, it claims about 400,000 lives worldwide.

Take charge of your health

  • Don't stay long with untreated STDs or UTIs (toilet infection)
  • Have regular medical checkups
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle
  • Listen to your body’s whispers before they become screams

Case Study: Cyclist Sir Chris Hoy

Earlier in November, six-time Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy was diagnosed with stage-4 prostate cancer, which was announced in February. This six-time Olympic champion revealed that he had a pain in his shoulder when he was 47, which did not go away. "I was still lifting weights in the gym, still physically active. You are used to having aches and pains, but this one did not go away."

Prostate Cancer, and types

The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It occurs when abnormal cells form and grow in that gland.

Experts say that not all prostate cancer is deadly. There are cancers that are slow-growing and will not affect a man's lifespan, which is found in 1 in 3 men over 50. Then there is a small number of very aggressive prostate cancers which move quickly and cause harm, this is why regular screening is important.

Chris too has called for more, younger men to be tested, including those with a family history of the disease.

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‘Sea Or See?’ Donald Trump's Remark Sparks Fresh Cognitive Health Speculation

Updated May 13, 2026 | 06:00 PM IST

SummaryThe White House continues to say that Trump remains in strong health, and added that the President has "unmatched energy, and historic accessibility".
‘Sea Or See?’ Donald Trump's Remark Sparks Fresh Cognitive Health Speculation

Credit: AP

US President Donald Trump's attempt to clarify the meaning of "sea" while discussing drug smuggling has again raised concerns of dementia.

While the 79-year-old President rambled between “sea and see” in the middle of discussing drug problems in the US, social media went rife with the rumor of his cognitive decline.

"Drugs coming by sea meaning coming by water. A lot of people don’t know what I mean by sea. They think I mean vision. I’m talking about sea like the sea," he said. He was speaking at the White House, while hosting law enforcement officials for a dinner in the Rose Garden in celebration of National Police Week.

His comments were called out by social media as his apparently worsening cognitive capabilities.

"When he says 'a lot of people' he means 'me.' His cognitive issues are a crisis," one social media user declared, while another admitted, "He’s getting worse."

Trump has spoken on sea and see, during a maternal healthcare event last week, where he also referred to himself as the “father of fertility.”

Earlier, speaking at the White House Small Business Summit, Trump said he has taken the Montreal Cognitive Assessment three times and “aced each one,” claiming a doctor told him it was the first time they had seen a perfect score, The Daily Beast reported.

The US President said he answered the test questions easily, suggesting he is cognitively in good condition—a claim that critics have repeatedly questioned.

“The first question is very easy,” he said. “You have a lion, a bear, an alligator, and a—what’s another good…? A squirrel. Which is the squirrel?” He added that the difficulty increases as the test progresses. “By the time you get to the middle, they’re very tough.”

However, the test’s creator, Canadian neurologist Ziad Nasreddine, has challenged Trump’s claims. “It wasn’t designed to be a test of IQ,” he told nine.com.au. “It was designed to assess normal cognitive performance.”

Experts Claim Trump's Mental Health Is Deteriorating

Read More: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

A group of medical experts, including neurologists, psychiatrists, and other physicians, has sounded the alarm over what they’ve described as Trump’s deteriorating mental health.

The experts have not specifically examined Trump face-to-face. But, they analyzed Trump's statements and behaviors over the past year, and stated that he’s “mentally unfit” and must be removed from office “with the greatest urgency” amid the escalating tension around the world, according to their statement published in The BMJ.

“It is our professional opinion that they (Trump's statements) reflect a rapidly worsening, reality-untethered, increasingly dangerous decline,” the experts said.

They also listed some of Trump’s observable serious medical issues, such as “Marked deterioration in cognitive functioning, evidenced by disorganized and tangential speech, rambling digressions, factual confusions, unexplained sudden changes of course in strategic matters, both national and international, episodes of apparent somnolence during critical public proceedings.”

Read More:PCOD vs PCOS vs PMOS: Why The Condition’s Name Has Changed Over Time

What The White House Says

The White House has continued to say that Trump remains in strong health.

In October 2025, White House physician Captain Sean Barbabella said the president “continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,” AOl.com reported.

"President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and other lunatics intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle was quoted as saying to The Daily Beast.

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PCOD vs PCOS vs PMOS: Why The Condition’s Name Has Changed Over Time

Updated May 13, 2026 | 04:00 PM IST

SummaryFrom just being a reproductive or ovarian disorder, PMOS is now being recognized as a complex hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect everything from periods and fertility to weight, insulin resistance, heart health, skin, and mental well-being.
PCOD vs PCOS vs PMOS: Why The Condition’s Name Has Changed Over Time

Credit: AI generated image

From Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and now Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) — confused about what the changing terminology means for women’s health and treatment?

What was once seen mainly as a reproductive or ovarian disorder is now being recognized as a complex hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect everything from periods and fertility to weight, insulin resistance, heart health, skin, and mental well-being.

To better understand the distinction between the three, let’s look at how the condition has evolved.

The condition, involving irregular periods, infertility, excess facial hair, and enlarged ovaries containing multiple cysts, was first identified as an ovarian or reproductive disorder in the 1930s by American gynecologists Dr. Irving Stein and Dr. Michael Leventhal. It became known as Stein-Leventhal Syndrome.

Over the years, the term PCOD became widely used, especially in countries like India. The name focused mainly on the presence of multiple ovarian cysts seen on ultrasound scans. It was considered a “disease” affecting ovulation and fertility.

Further, in the 1980s and 1990s, experts discovered that the condition involved hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, weight gain, diabetes risk, and heart health concerns, among others.

Because it affected multiple body systems, PCOS became the medically preferred global term. The word “syndrome” was used to describe a group of related symptoms rather than a single disease.

However, many experts argued that the name still overemphasized ovarian cysts and fertility, and in 2012, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) officially recommended changing the name, saying it was misleading because:

  • Not all women with the condition have cysts
  • Ovarian cysts alone are not enough for diagnosis
  • The name ignores the metabolic and hormonal aspects
Importantly, experts said the terminology also delayed diagnosis and contributed to stigma around fertility.

In 2026, global experts publishing in The Lancet proposed the new name -- PMOS – for the condition affecting more than 170 million women worldwide.

The new term PMOS acknowledges that the condition involves:

  • Endocrine health
  • Metabolic health
  • Reproductive health
  • Dermatological health
  • Psychological health.

What Does PMOS Mean?

Also read: PCOS Is Now PMOS: What The Name Change Means For Millions Of Women

The new name aims to explain the condition more accurately and comprehensively.

Polyendocrine means it affects multiple hormones in the body.

Metabolic refers to issues linked to weight, insulin, blood sugar, and heart health.

Ovarian highlights its impact on ovulation and reproductive health.

Syndrome refers to a group of symptoms occurring together.

In simple terms, PMOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect periods, fertility, skin, mood, weight, and long-term health.

What The Name Change Means For Women

Speaking to HealthandMe, Dr Monika Bhatia Director — Obstetrics & Gynaecology Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgeon Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, said that the earlier name was misleading because the "cysts" in PCOS are not real cysts — they are simply small, arrested follicles.

While the name has changed, the message remains the same.

“Behind every diagnosis is a woman trying to understand her body, hormones, emotions, and health. While this condition may affect periods, fertility, metabolism, skin, weight, or mental well-being differently, one thing remains common — it is manageable with the right guidance,” she said.

The core treatment stays the same as the guidelines for treatment have not changed, but the approach becomes wider.

“So instead of just treating the periods, PMOS is now managed as a whole-body condition involving a multidisciplinary team”.

Will there be any change to evaluation?

Dr Muskaan Chhabra, Fertility Specialist, Birla Fertility & IVF, Lajpat Nagar, told HealthandMe that the new name –PMOS- correctly acknowledges that this is a multisystem condition involving complex interactions between insulin, androgens, and neuroendocrine hormones.

In PMOS, the ovaries are one of several systems involved rather than the primary site of the problem.

This “opens the door to more comprehensive clinical evaluation, earlier and more accurate diagnosis, and treatment approaches that address the full hormonal and metabolic picture rather than a narrow reproductive one,” Dr Muskaan said. It will also “drive more integrated and personalized care”.

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Hantavirus Can Linger Indoors, Spread Through Contaminated Dust, Says Infectious Disease Expert

Updated May 13, 2026 | 11:45 AM IST

SummaryDr. Vasant C. Nagvekar from Lilavati Hospital said that the Andes strain rarely transmits person-to-person and emphasized the need for global prevention through enhanced surveillance, early detection, vector control, environmental sanitation, and public awareness, particularly amid urbanization, climate change, and ecosystem disruption.
Hantavirus Can Linger Indoors, Spread Through Contaminated Dust, Says Infectious Disease Expert

Credit: AI generated image

Hantavirus has the potential to linger indoors and spread through contaminated dust, especially in rodent-infested, poorly ventilated spaces, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Vasant C. Nagvekar.

So far, 11 people linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship have been affected. While all passengers have been repatriated and quarantined, the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates that additional cases may emerge based on observed symptoms.

Also Read: Hantavirus Cases Climb To 11; WHO Warns Countries Of Further Spread

In an exclusive interview with HealthandMe, Dr. Vasant, a Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine at Lilavati Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, explained how the virus can spread even within indoor environments. He noted that contaminated dust and surfaces are potential sources of transmission, making proper hygiene and preventive measures crucial.

The expert also stated that the Andes strain rarely transmits person-to-person and emphasized the need for global prevention through enhanced surveillance, early detection, vector control, environmental sanitation, and public awareness, particularly amid urbanization, climate change, and ecosystem disruption.

Here are the excerpts from the interview

Q. How Long Does Hantavirus Survive?

Dr. Vasant: Hantavirus does not survive for long outside a host body and is rapidly inactivated by exposure to sunlight, detergents, and drying.

However, in enclosed indoor environments that are cool with temperatures at 4 degrees Celsius or less, poorly ventilated, and contaminated with rodent urine or feces, the virus may remain infectious for several hours or even longer.

Q. Is Hantavirus Airborne?

Dr. Vasant: Yes, the virus can be transmitted indirectly through the air. However, hantavirus does not circulate freely in the air in the same way as influenza or coronavirus during normal social interactions.

It becomes airborne when contaminated rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials are disturbed during activities such as sweeping or cleaning. At that point, the virus can be aerosolized and inhaled by people.

Q. How Can Hantavirus Spread Indoors?

Dr. Vasant: Indoor exposure usually takes place in environments where the presence of goes unnoticed – for example, in cabins, storage rooms, warehouses, inside false ceilings, or vacant rooms.

One could be exposed to hantavirus through inhalation of contaminated dust when a room that has not been used for a while is opened or is cleaned without any protective measures.

Also read: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

The reason why hantavirus exposure is alarming is that it usually takes place during normal activities, which we do without even suspecting anything dangerous.

Q. How Does the Andes Strain of Hantavirus Spread?

Dr. Vasant: The Andes hantavirus stands out because, unlike most other hantaviruses, it exhibits evidence of rare person-to-person transmission, mostly through direct and extended contact between people. As a result, this particular strain is highly interesting for scientists studying infectious diseases around the world and is extensively researched as such. It should be noted, however, that person-to-person transmission is very rare in comparison to respiratory pathogens, such as the influenza virus or SARS-CoV-2.

Read More: Why The Norovirus Outbreak On A Caribbean Cruise Ship Is Not A Cause for Panic

Q. What global strategies are needed to prevent the emergence of new viruses?

Dr. Vasant: What is required from our world in terms of the prevention of new viruses is a globally integrated strategy within the public health sector.

Surveillance systems should become more advanced on community levels, especially when there are high risks of increased contact between humans and animals because of urbanization, climate change, and ecosystem destruction.

Early detection, information exchange at the international level, vector control, environmental sanitation, and public awareness are just as significant. New infection strains cannot remain limited to just being a problem of individual countries.

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