April 10, 2012 How often does your dentist insist on giving you
a dental X-ray just to make sure all is well? While a dental
x-ray may be justifiable if there is some serious risk, research
is pointing out that too many of these X-rays may result in a
twofold risk increase in a brain cancer known as meningioma.
Dental X-Rays Could Increase Brain Cancer Risk For the research,
Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, of Yale University, and colleagues
examined the records of 1,433 patients who were diagnosed with
meningioma between May 2006 and April 2011. The researchers made
a control group matched for sex, age, and geography. Researchers
found that bitewing X-rays (showing upper and lower back teeth)
performed less than once per year was associated with patients
being 1.1 to 1.6 times more likely to experience meningioma
across age groups. They also found that annual or more frequent
panorex dental X-ray (an X-ray showing all teeth and surrounding
bones) exposure increased odds by 2.7 to 3.0 in 3 of the oldest
age group