There are a million things people would rather be doing instead of visiting their dentist in Stuart. Now that it’s the summer, wouldn’t you rather be at the beach, the golf course, a park, or basically anywhere outside? Well not so fast. What if I told you that your dentist could actually save your life?

A study was done at NYU Langone’s Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, and the main finding of the study was this: the presence of certain bacteria in the mouth may reveal an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. The study authors also claim that signs of pancreatic cancer include people who are susceptible to gum disease, cavities, and poor oral health in general.

Senior investigator and epidemiologist Jiyoung Ahn, PhD spoke about some of the connections between her findings and pancreatic cancer, and mentioned some likely risk factors, specifically: older age, male gender, smoking, Afrian-American race, and family history of the disease.

Researchers were also fortunate enough to find links to pancreatic cancer. They found that Individuals with P. gingivalis had a 59% greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer than people whose microbiomes did not contain the bacterium. Ahn also added that they are hopeful that the bacteria changes will show who is at the highest risk for developing pancreatic cancer.

The next time you are thinking about skipping your dentist appointment, remember that it isn’t just about clean teeth. At the Stuart Dental Spa, not only will we get your teething sparkling like the sun, but we also strive to promote your overall oral health!

If you would like to read the full article from Dentistry IQ, click on the article link here.