Poor Oral Health May Increase Risk of Pancreatic Cancer Among African American Women

A Boston University School of Medicine study has found African American women with poor oral health may be more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Investigators with the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University used data from the Black Women’s Health Study to compare African American women who showed no signs of poor oral health to those who reported adult tooth loss. The women who reported tooth loss had a substantially increased risk of pancreatic cancer. The association became even stronger for those women who had lost at least five teeth.

According to the study, inflammation caused by certain oral bacteria may be associated with the increased risk.

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