Generations Dental Care Blog

In my last blog, I discussed the increasing prevalence of oral cancer in the U.S. This month, let’s talk about what we can do in the office to catch this awful disease before it starts to spread.

The most important thing we do to find oral cancer is an annual tissue exam. This exam is done at lease once a year during your doctor exam, and every time you see the hygienist. Even if you have full dentures, you should be in for a doctor exam at least once per year to check your tissues. At this exam, we are looking for changes to your oral tissues, including discoloration, ulceration, increases in size, and changes in shape. Remember, oral cancer is typically painless! So you need someone looking for these lesions, especially if you have any risk factors in your history.

One problem we often run into is that by the time these lesions are visible, they are also fairly advanced. For this reason, we have invested in the Velscope system. The Velscope exam consists of a high intensity light that normal tissues reflect, creating a “green glow”. Tissues that are potentially diseased show up as “black holes”, completely absorbing the light. This exam is available at your hygiene visit, and we recommend it for most of our adult patients, especially if you are in a high risk category (i.e. smoker, drink alcoholic beverages, or are sexually active).

If we find any suspicious areas during either the tissue or Velscope exam, we may recommend a Brush Biopsy. That exam will be the focus of my next and last blog on this subject.

April is Oral Cancer awareness month, so I thought I’d bring you some sobering facts.

This year, over 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer.  It will kill over 8,000 people.  That’s one person per hour, twenty hour hours per day, and only half of those diagnosed will survive more than 5 years.

The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that for cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, testicular cancer, and cancers of the endocrine system such thyroid and skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

Oropharyngeal cancers associated with the human Papillomavirus (HPV) are on the rise, especially among younger patients (under age 45).

So that is the bad news.  What is the good news?  There are many things you can do to help prevent oral cancer:

·        Stop smoking

Smokers are six times more likely to develop oral cancers.

·        Reduce excessive consumption of alcohol

Oral cancers are six times more common in drinkers than in non-drinkers

·        Reduce excessive sun exposure

Especially at a young age

·        Stop using smokeless tobacco

You are 50 times more likely to develop cancers of the cheek, gums or lips if you use snuff, dip or chewing tobacco.

·        Visit your dentist for a yearly exam

When it comes to saving lives, early detection is key.  We have several new technologies in the office to help diagnose oral cancers which I will talk about in my next blog.  Until then make sure to reduce your risk factors for oral cancer, and if you haven’t been seen in the office in the past year be sure to call to get checked out.

There has been a great deal of research lately that is making connections between periodontal disease and several disease processes including diabetes, coronary artery disease (also called heart disease) and preterm low birth weight babies. In a recent article, researchers found that there may now be a connection to rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory process similar to chronic periodontitis (CP).  It has been suggested that an inflammatory cyst in a susceptible host could trigger the RA process.  DNA from periodontal pathogens has been found in the fluid within the joints where it triggers an inflammatory response that in turn affects the joint.

What does this mean for you?  Well, we already know ho important regular visits are for good oral health, but now we can add a growing list of systemic diseases that may be connected to that good health.

Make sure you don’t miss your regular cleanings and exams.  It could make a difference in more than just your smile!

Many people ask us what the best way to whiten their teeth is, and what kind of results they can expect. The answer to that question is that it depends on what you are trying to achieve.  Teeth Whitening can take decades off the color of your teeth, but some methods have better results than others.

The first option is an over-the-counter product called Crest White-Strips. This is the most inexpensive option, and good if you are not looking to change color dramatically. The strips are worn twice a day for thirty minutes each application. We offer professional strength strips that cannot be found in stores, and full results are usually achieved in ten days.

The second option is an at-home system that uses whitening gel and trays that are custom fit to your mouth. The gel is much stronger than the over-the-counter systems, and results are usually seen within a week. With the tray system (we use at-home Zoom! Gel) results are longer lasting, and more noticeable.

The final, and by far the most popular option is Zoom! In-office whitening. The results are immediate and will last the longest of any of the options. You will get the maximum amount of whitening with this system, and best of all, it only takes about an hour of your valuable time! Our typical results with the Zoom! In-office whitening system usually knock ten to twenty years off the color of most people’s teeth.

If you are interested in any type of whitening, call us to schedule a free whitening consultation at 603-225-6331. We will find a system that fits your budget and gets you the kind of results you have been dreaming of!