Dental X-Rays Linked to Increased Brain Tumor Risk

People who've had frequent dental X-rays may have an increased risk of developing meningioma, a type of brain tumor, new research suggests.

People in the study with meningioma were twice as likely as tumor-free individuals to report ever having a "bitewing" exam, which requires a patient to bite down to hold an X-ray film in place while a device photographs a portion of the mouth.

While the study suggests an association between dental X-rays and risk of meningioma, it doesn't show the radiation actually causes brain tumors, researchers said. Moreover, the cancer remains rare — about 6,500 people are diagnosed with meningioma yearly in the U.S., according to the University of California, Los Angeles.

The researchers also pointed out that the study looked at X-rays performed in the past, when dental radiation exposure was greater than it is now, because of new guidelines and technology.