Gum Disease and Breast Cancer: What the Research Shows
Large studies have found that women who report a history of gum disease are slightly more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer later. That is an association, not proof that gum disease causes breast cancer, and no study has shown that treating gum disease lowers breast cancer risk. Healthy gums are worth keeping for their own sake, and regular breast cancer screening with your physician remains the step that matters for breast cancer.
What did the research find?
The main evidence comes from the Women's Health Initiative, a long-running study of postmenopausal women in the United States. Researchers at the University at Buffalo followed 73,737 women who had never had breast cancer. About one in four reported having had gum disease. Over an average of 6.7 years, 2,124 women developed invasive breast cancer. [1]
Women who reported gum disease had about a 14% higher risk of breast cancer than women who did not, after the researchers adjusted for known breast cancer risk factors. The link looked stronger in women who had quit smoking within the previous 20 years. [1]
A 2017 analysis of the same cohort, covering all cancers, found a similar result for breast cancer (about 13% higher risk). [2] That study is discussed in our post on gum disease and cancer risk in older women.
Does that mean gum disease causes breast cancer?
No. These were observational studies, which can show that two things occur together but can't show that one causes the other. A few limits are worth knowing:
Gum disease was self-reported. Women answered a questionnaire. Nobody measured their gums.
Shared risk factors. Smoking, age, diabetes and other health factors affect both gum disease and cancer. Researchers adjust for these, but they can't remove every one.
The increase is small. A 14% relative increase is modest, and most women with gum disease never develop breast cancer.
Researchers have proposed possible explanations, such as long-term inflammation or oral bacteria reaching other tissues. Those ideas are still being studied.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease starts as gingivitis: red, swollen gums that bleed when you brush or floss. If plaque stays under the gumline, it can progress to periodontitis, which destroys the bone and tissue that hold teeth in place. About 4 in 10 US adults aged 30 and older have some degree of periodontitis. [3]
What should you do with this information?
Keep up breast cancer screening as your physician recommends. Nothing about your gums changes that advice.
Treat gum disease because it harms your mouth. Bleeding gums, gum recession, loose teeth or persistent bad breath are reasons to see a dentist.
Don't smoke. Smoking raises the risk of both gum disease and many cancers.
Tell your dentist about cancer treatment. If you are facing chemotherapy or radiation, your mouth needs attention before and during treatment. Read about dental care around cancer treatment.
Where can you have your gums checked in Jacksonville?
A comprehensive dental exam includes measuring the gum pockets around each tooth, which is how gum disease is diagnosed. For related research, see our post on gum disease and esophageal and stomach cancer. To schedule a visit, contact our office or call 904-398-1549.
Sources
Freudenheim JL, Genco RJ, LaMonte MJ, et al. Periodontal disease and breast cancer: prospective cohort study of postmenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016;25(1):43-50. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0750 (retrieved via PubMed)
Nwizu NN, Marshall JR, Moysich K, et al. Periodontal disease and incident cancer risk among postmenopausal women: results from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2017;26(8):1255-1265. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0212 (retrieved via PubMed)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gum (periodontal) disease. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.