These oral bacteria tripled cancer risk in a massive new study.
Researchers followed 122,000 people for nearly a decade.
They found something wild.
Three mouth bacteria—and one fungus—could predict pancreatic cancer risk years before diagnosis.
People with high levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Eubacterium nodatum, and Parvimonas micra were 3.4 times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
Candida, the same yeast that causes oral thrush, was also tied to higher risk.
Why does this matter?
Because pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest. It’s silent until it’s too late.
But this study shows your mouth might give an early warning—long before symptoms start.
This is the mouth–body connection in action.
Your oral microbiome isn’t just about cavities and bad breath.
It’s about inflammation. It’s about chronic disease. And it’s about about life and death.
If you ignore bleeding gums, you’re ignoring your pancreas.
If you feed oral yeast with sugar and alcohol, you might be fueling something much worse.
In the future, ALL dentists will run saliva tests that flag cancer risk (not just the ones on our Functional Dentist Directory.)
Medicine will finally look in the mouth before writing a prescription.
Until that day…
What to Do Right Now
1. Test your mouth.
Use an oral microbiome test—this is the one I recommend. It measures hundreds of bacteria and fungi, including the same pathogens linked to pancreatic cancer.
It can’t diagnose cancer—but it can reveal if your mouth is trending toward inflammation, dysbiosis, or yeast overgrowth.
Think of it as an early warning light, not a diagnosis.
2. Share the results.
Bring them to your GP. Say:
“These oral pathogens are high. The research links them to systemic inflammation and pancreatic cancer risk.”
Ask your doctor to track inflammation markers like CRP or IL-6, and to monitor pancreatic enzymes or imaging if risk seems elevated.
3. Rebuild your oral microbiome.
Your goal isn’t to sterilize your mouth—it’s to balance it.
Here’s how:
- Brush twice daily with an extra soft bristle brush
- Floss
- Scrape your tongue with a tongue scraper (like this one)
- Oil pull or use a gentle rinse with xylitol—NEVER harsh antiseptics or any rinse that contains essential oils, which nuke the good microbes
- Add oral probiotics (Streptococcus salivarius K12, Lactobacillus reuteri — the same ones in this formulation)
- Drink green tea daily (this one’s my favorite) — it suppresses P. gingivalis, weakens Candida, and cools inflammation throughout the mouth and body
These steps shift the ecosystem that feeds chronic inflammation—the same inflammation that drives pancreatic disease.
4. Clean up the diet.
- Cut refined sugar and processed carbs—they feed Candida and bad bacteria
- Eat fiber-rich plants and cruciferous vegetables
- Add garlic and onions—studies link them to lower digestive cancer risk
- Maintain a healthy weight, move daily, sleep, manage stress
- Avoid smoking and heavy drinking—both fuel oral dysbiosis and pancreatic stress
5. Fix mouth breathing.
Mouth breathing dries the oral cavity and shifts the microbiome toward inflammation. When saliva drops, acid-loving pathogens like P. gingivalis and Candida thrive.
Chronic mouth breathing also lowers nitric oxide, raises blood pressure, and weakens your immune defense.
Start simple:
- Tape your mouth at night (use gentle tape like this one, not duct tape).
- Treat nasal congestion or allergies that block nasal airflow.
- Strengthen your tongue posture with nasal-breathing drills.
If you can’t breathe well through your nose, your oral microbiome can’t heal.
6. Retest every 6–12 months.
Your microbiome changes. The goal is progress: fewer pathogens, more balance, lower inflammation.
No one in the traditional system is going to connect these dots for you…
Your dentist isn’t talking to your doctor.
Your doctor isn’t looking in your mouth.
And your insurance company doesn’t reward prevention—it pays for treatment once you’re already sick.
If you want true prevention, you have to be the facilitator.
You have to bring the data.
You have to say, “This is my oral microbiome, and I want to understand what it means for my body.”
That’s the new model of medicine: patient-led, data-driven, and microbiome-informed.
Your saliva may be able to tell your story before your bloodwork does.
Your dentist might spot disease risk before your oncologist ever gets involved.
Until the system catches up, you’re the one who has to act.
Start with your mouth.
Mark
P.S. I’ve spent my career watching people get sick from problems that started in the mouth, including my own parents. You don’t have to be one of them. If this newsletter helps you see the warning signs earlier, I’ve done my job. If you know someone who ignores their gums or thinks oral health stops at cavities, please forward this to them. It might open their eyes.
The post Your dentist might catch cancer before your doctor can appeared first on Ask the Dentist.
