Ask about it

Does your dental office do oral cancer screenings? Don't be afraid to ask. You may not even realize that you are receiving an oral cancer screening as a regular part of your routine dental hygiene visit.

About 50,000 Americans a year are diagnosed with oral cancers. Like every other cancer the earlier it is detected, the better the outcome. If you're not sure you are being screened for oral cancer, ask your dentist or dental hygienist to do an oral cancer screening. 

If you smoke and/or drink alcohol or have a history of other cancers, oral cancer screening is particularly important. The risk of oral cancer in people who drink alcohol heavily is about two to three times that of non-drinkers. Smokers are 80% more likely to get oral cancers. In people who smoke and drink, oral cancer risk increases by 70 times.

If you have pain in your mouth or face, have a sore in your mouth that doesn't go away or gets larger, or difficulty swallowing, tell your doctor or dentist. Know that you know your body better than anyone else. Don't wait - the life you can save is your own!

Did you know that drinking more than 21 drinks a week is an indication of alcohol abuse? If you feel that you have a drinking problem, get help!

For some great facts about oral cancer visit:

http://oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/

This post is not meant to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Visit your doctor or dentist!

Lung Cancer and Gum Disease

A new report released in June finds an increased risk of lung cancer in people with gum disease. The report, which analyzed previous studies, found that even after adjusting other lung cancer risk factors like smoking, drinking alcohol, and diabetes, there was still this increased risk.The risk was higher still in women with periodontal disease than in men. 

Health mouth, healthy body (Artwork: YM)

So what is periodontal disease? There are two types: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is early gum disease and is reversible. These are puffy, bleeding gums that can be healed with regular flossing and brushing. The second type of gum disease, periodontitis, means that the disease had gone into other structures of the gums, like the ligaments that help hold the teeth to the bone. In advanced periodontitis, teeth may be loose due to bone loss and the gums may be receding. This type of gum disease can not be reversed but can be managed. Daily brushing and flossing combined with regular dental visits and gum therapy can stop the condition from worsening. There is no pain with most gum disease and some people with gum disease may feel like their teeth have "shifted." Often, they have not been going for their regular check-ups and cleanings every six months. 

Up to one-half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease. Periodontal disease is 2.5 times more common than diabetes, yet people tend to neglect their teeth without really thinking about how it can affect the rest of the body. 

Given that lung cancer death is the number one cancer death in the U.S., this newly discovered risk is yet another reason to take good care of your teeth. Just think about it: two minutes of brushing two times a day may decrease your risk of dying from lung cancer. Isn't that worth it?

For more on this report visit: https://www.perio.org/consumer/gum-disease-lung-cancer-risk

This blog is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition. If you are worried about your health, go visit your doctor or dentist. Please take care of yourself!

Breast Cancer and Gum Disease

Yet another reason to care for your gums and teeth

There are 10 times as many germs in our bodies as there are cells. Not only do our bodies play host to a great variety of germs, germs interacting with our bodies can either help us or harm us. Researchers are continually studying the role germs play in causing chronic inflammation and how germs contribute to systemic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The association between cancer and germs is not new and has been studied for years. Bacteria that live in the mouth have been found in breast cancer tumors and studies have found that almost all women who have been treated for breast cancer have some form of gum disease. 

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease. In its early stages (gingivitis) it causes bleeding, puffy gums, and in the later stages tooth and bone loss (periodontitis.) Almost 50% of adults in our country who are over 30 and over two-thirds of adults over 65 have some degree of periodontitis. Breast cancer risk also increases as women age.

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Gum disease &
breast cancer risk.
photo by YM

A new study reveals that postmenopausal women who have been diagnosed with periodontal disease by their dentists have a 14% higher risk of developing breast cancer. That number jumps to over 30% in women who have smoked within the past 20 years. Smoking is a huge contributing factor to periodontal disease and is also known to increase breast cancer risk. 

More research is needed to discover fully how bacteria contributes to diseases like breast cancer but enough evidence already exists to suggest that taking care of one's oral health pays off in better overall health.

For more on this recent breast cancer study visit: http://www.aacr.org/Newsroom/Pages/News-Release-Detail.aspx?ItemID=823#.VoQPn_krLIU

Source information: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1807-59322014001000706&script=sci_arttext;

http://www.aacr.org/Newsroom/Pages/News-Release-Detail.aspx?ItemID=823#.VoQPn_krLIU; http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2015/12/12/1055-9965.EPI-15-0750.abstract; http://cbcrp.org.164.seekdotnet.com/research/PageGrant.asp?grant_id=29509; https://www.perio.org/consumer/cdc-study.htm

This blog is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition. Please see you dentist or doctor if you aren't feeling well and take care of yourself!

Be a Quitter

The Great American Smokeout

Cigarette smoking kills over 500,000 Americans each year including deaths due to second-hand smoke. Illness due to smoking results in hundreds of billions of dollars in medical costs. (cdc.gov)

Every third Thursday each November, the American Cancer Society asks smokers to quit, even if it's for just one day (cancer.org). After 20 minutes of not smoking, heart rate and blood pressure decrease; after 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood

Quit Smoking Today
Photo: Y. Mikalopas

drop. The longer a person stays smoke free the more health benefits are gained.

In addition to being devastating to the entire body, smoking affects the mouth and teeth in very significant ways. Smokers may find that their gums don't bleed, ordinarily a sign of health. However, smokers actually have a higher incidence of both periodontal disease and tooth loss than non-smokers. The gums aren't bleeding because the blood vessels are constricted and oxygen is needed more urgently by the lungs and heart. 

Smoking also increases risk for the following conditions in the mouth:

• oral cancer 
• esophageal cancer
• periodontal/gum disease
• cavities
• tooth loss
• black hairy tongue (if you've never seen it, Google it)
• dry mouth
• bad breath

Diseases caused by smoking and second hand smoke are preventable. Quitting, if only for one day, is the first step to better health.

sources: Ann Periodontol. 1998 Jul;3(1):88-101., cdc.gov, ada.org, cancer.org. This blog is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. If you need medical or dental treatment, seek help from your doctor or dentist. If you smoke, QUIT!

National Dental Hygiene Month, October 2015

Floss, Brush, Brush (photo: Y. Mikalopas)

October has many, many, specially designated days and weeks but is probably most notably known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month - if you haven't noticed all the pink ribbons and products around, open your eyes. October is also National Dental Hygiene Month and for six years, the American Dental Hygienist Association and Wrigley, the gum company, have together promoted good oral health habits during this month. While Wrigley's does have gum brands that are sugar-free they also have plenty of products that contain sugar, are very sticky, and not anything that someone should eat if they want to have healthy teeth. I kind of feel about this the way I feel about wine companies promoting breast health by putting pink ribbons onto their bottles and the way I feel about tobacco companies making donations to smoking cessation programs. Having said that, the American Dental Hygiene Association is a wonderful group of very dedicated professional hygienists who are very passionate about people taking care of their teeth to have healthy mouths and live healthy lives. I am proud to be a member. So this
month take a few minutes every day to "Do the Daily 4"- Brush, Floss, Rinse, Chew. I'll be happy if you do the "Terrific Two" - brush two times a day for two minutes and floss once daily. And remember, the more you do at home, the less your hygienist has to do when you are in the chair!

The Predictive Power of Spit

Research presented at the 2015 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Sunday suggests that it may be possible to use saliva as a diagnostic tool in predicting Alzheimer's disease.  Alzheimer's causes changes in the body years before any symptoms occur and early diagnosis is key, as it is in other diseases, for early treatment and better outcomes.

While this particular study is preliminary and needs to be reviewed and replicated, the predictive power of spit has already been harnessed for other diseases and conditions.  Saliva tests for HIV have been used by medical professionals since the early 2000s and in 2012 the FDA approved a home testing kit for consumers.  According to the National Institutes of Health there are also saliva tests available for hormonal problems and to screen for substance and alcohol abuse.

Oh, spit! 

(photo: Y. Mikalopas)

In dentistry, the importance of healthy saliva has long been recognized as critical for oral health.  In addition to keeping the mouth moist and aiding in digestion of food, saliva contains a host of substances including immune factors, proteins, bacteria, and minerals.  Saliva tests that examine the type of bacteria in the mouth can be used to suggest treatment options for patients at risk for cavities and gum disease.  There are also tests that look at salivary flow, which can aid in treatment of dry mouth.

Saliva tests that examine protein markers, like the preliminary one for Alzheimer's, could potentially be predictive of systemic diseases like cancer.  A study of head and neck cancers at John Hopkins used saliva and blood testing which reliably found DNA markers in the saliva of patients with these cancers.  Changes and differences in proteins in the saliva have also been found in other patients with cancer, such as women with breast cancer.

There is no downside to saliva testing as a diagnostic tool.  Saliva tests that currently exist are easy to use, non-invasive, reliable and relatively inexpensive.  Imagine a future without the need for invasive procedures like biopsies or uncomfortable screenings like mammograms - where a yearly saliva test, done quickly in a doctor's office or at home, could reliably predict disease and result in early intervention and treatment.  

Sources: Alzheimer's Association International Conference (2015). Researchers Report New Ways to Predict the Development of Alzheimers Disease (Press Release). Retrieved from https://www.alz.org/aaic/releases_2015/Sun-8amET.asp; National Institutes of Health, Fact Sheet, Salivary Diagnostics; Y. Wang, S. Springer, et al. "DNA Shed from Head and Neck Tumors Detected in Blood and Saliva," Hopkinsmedicine.org, 24 June 2015; A. Nieves, W. Fitzgerel-Blue. "Saliva: Of Emerging Importance in the Medical and Dental Worlds," rdhmag.com.

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please see your dental or medical professional for treatment and advice.

Pick a loser

As a follow up to my last post regarding e-cigarettes I'd like to share another issue about tobacco.  I was catching up on episodes of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and watched an excellent piece on tobacco farming and child labor laws.  This shocking situation has also been reported on by the BBC, NPR, various local news stations and is being monitored by Human Rights Watch.  Apparently children as young as 12 can legally work on farms.  There is NO minimum age on small farms.  Children are working ridiculously long hours in unsafe conditions and without personal protective equipment.  They are being sickened and poisoned by contact with the tobacco leaves and pesticides.  Yet under pressure from big agriculture in 2012, the Labor Department withdrew a proposal to more strictly regulate the age and conditions of child farm laborers.  The tobacco companies response to child laborers?  Well, they are certainly "concerned."  (Yep, that's pretty much it.)  It is sickening to know that children are working under terrible conditions, using dangerous equipment and being exposed to harmful chemicals.  It is even more disgusting that this occurs in an industry that grows a toxic product that destroys people's health and causes cancer while making billions of dollars in profit in the process. And, of course, the US government gets it share through taxes.  So what if a few kids get harmed?  After all, they get the benefit of helping their families make money and learning the value of hard work.  That's the farmers' perspective.  Well, whatever helps you sleep at night.  But I think that in an industry that makes this much money in a country where we claim we are so concerned about human rights, more can be done to protect these kids.  What do you think?

For a great summary of the HRW report and excellent video, (the boys featured are remarkable,) view the following BBC report:  http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27350412

Up in Vape

Recently, on a beautiful day in Seaside Heights, I sat on a boardwalk bench waiting for my son and his friends and doing some people watching.  As I observed the variety of swimsuits, sundresses, piercings and tattoos adorning the bodies of early summer beach goers, (including a teen wearing a horse head mask,) activity at one particular store caught my eye.  It was a smoke shop selling e-cigs and other smoking paraphernalia.  What struck me was the number of young people, mostly in groups, stopping to purchase and browse.  The attraction of teens and young people to smoking is nothing new, of course, and as I age the range of people I consider to be “young” increases.  It is a fact, however, that there is still so much unknown about the effect of e-cigarettes and vaping on health.  E-cigs even eliminate the fear of “getting caught” because there is no smoke involved.  High school kids will vape in school, even in class.  Opportunities to “smoke” continue to grow, regardless of our lack of understanding of the long term consequences.  For adults who currently smoke and are considering quitting, e-cigs may be a viable “lower risk” alternative.   However, despite claims that e-cigs are safer than regular cigarettes and can help people quit there is little research yet to support this.  And more and more products are being developed all the time that stress lifestyle benefits over health benefits.  RJ Reynolds aims to make e-products that deliver a “satisfying” experience to smokers.  Philip Morris is developing a product that uses tobacco to deliver a tobacco flavor nicotine vapor claiming “reduced” risk.  There was a time when “light” cigarettes were marketed as such until it was found that these claims were untrue or murky at best.  And, if you are old enough to remember, there was a time when doctors were used to advertise the health benefits of cigarettes.  These new products contribute to the illusion that starting this kind of a habit is not at all harmful when this is far from true.  Smoking flavored tobacco using a hookah is also very much in vogue.  In the past year there has been a 21% increase in high school students who do this.  This is another practice where there is a huge misconception that it is safer than traditional cigarettes, just like it was once assumed that chewing tobacco was safer.  Finally, let’s look at the players in this industry.  These products are largely unregulated and there is a lot of money to be made.  E-cigarettes and vapor delivery systems have gained a lot of popularity with the public for a variety of reasons including the legalization of pot for medicinal and non-medicinal use in some states.  But don’t think for one minute that these companies are concerned about anything other than how to relieve you of your money.  They have a long history of just blowing smoke.

This information is not intended to treat or diagnose any dental or medical condition or illness.  Please visit your medical or dental health professional if you need medical or dental treatment.

Sources: http://www.ama-assn.org, http://www.rjrvapor.com, http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/malboro-man-peril-article-1.1369911, www.adha.org, www.cdc.gov

Bad Breath and Sniffing out Lung Cancer

I have patients who are diligent about brushing and use mouthwash yet complain of bad breath.  There are several causes of bad breath but I usually address flossing habits first.  Flossing gets in between the teeth where the toothbrush can't reach.  Plaque, which is made of germs, live and grow all over the mouth.  Not flossing is like taking a shower and washing your face but not washing your hair or your ears - you're not doing the whole job.  Plaque stinks and unfortunately there is no other way to effectively get the plaque out from between the teeth.  Even new electronic devices, which are like mini water-picks, still recommend flossing in their instructions.  There simply is no substitute.  When investigating reasons for bad breath, other things to look at are medications, tooth alignment, mouth breathing and other health considerations.  Some medications can cause dry mouth, a common side effect of certain meds, which can lead to bad breath.  Supplements like fish oil or garlic, foods like onions or other odiferous foods can also cause it.  Tooth alignment can cause the mouth not to fully close, leading to drying of the mouth tissues and again, bad breath.  Mouth breathing at night or snoring, sometimes a sign of a serious health issue like sleep apnea, can also cause this problem as can life style habits, like smoking and drinking.  Bad breath certainly can be troublesome so it is best to discuss the issue frankly with your medical or dental professional especially since chronic bad breath may indicate underlying health problems.  It was also reported recently that the breath in general may even reveal other important information about a person's health.  At a conference of the American Society for Clinical Oncology new research revealed some amazing results.  Researchers reported that they have developed a machine using nanotechnology that can "smell" the breath of patients with lung cancer and other lung ailments.  Simply by breathing into a tube subtle changes in the body chemistry of the person are detected.  While this technology is still being tested the initial results seem promising.  (Please see the original article at http://www.livescience.com/46108-breath-test-lung-cancer.html ) Perhaps someday your doctor, dentist, or dental hygienist will be able to administer a simple breath test that can save your life or the life of your loved one.  That sure smells sweet.
This information is not intended to treat or diagnose any dental or medical problem or illness.  Please visit your medical or dental health professional if you need medical or dental treatment!