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!

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!

Happy National Chewing Gum Day, September 30, 2015

Have a chew! (photo: Y. Mikalopas)

Chew on this….

It took a little web surfing to verify that this is even actually a “national day” and then I figured, even if it's not, why not write about the benefits, and potential detriments, of chewing gum.

1- Hold the sugar

Benefits gained by chewing gum are with “SUGARFREE” or “SUGARLESS” gum only.  These gums contain sugar substitutes such as sorbitol or xylitol (which is becoming very popular these days and being added to lots of “diet” products.) Sugar contributes to the creation of cavities so it is NOT a good idea to chew gum that contains sugar. Ever. Sorry.

Potential detriment: Sugar substitutes can cause stomach upset, so go easy with the amount of gum you chew. If you are sensitive to these types of products, you might want to skip it.

2– Have a chew after meals

According to the American Dental Association website (ada.org), chewing gum for twenty minutes after a meal stimulates saliva.  The more saliva you have, the better for your mouth. Saliva helps to wash away the sugars that the plaque bacteria in your mouth need to live and grow and helps to return your mouth to normal pH levels. Saliva also contains potassium and calcium, which along with fluoride, helps to re-mineralize your teeth.

Caveat: If you have jaw problems or “TMJ” chewing for twenty minutes might not be for you. If you have braces, loose fillings, bridgework or dentures, also not for you. And if you have loose fillings or bridgework, please get yourself to the dentist.

3- Stop smoking and lose weight!

The Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org) suggests that chewing gum can assist with smoking cessation as well as forestall the urge to eat, decreasing your total intake of calories. It’s a win-win and there is research that backs up these assertions.

I don’t see any negatives here. I’d rather see people chewing gum like cows than smoking.

4 – Four-Step Program

Dental hygienists have proposed a four-step process for a healthy mouth: Floss, Brush, Rinse, and…you guessed it – Chew. (Adha.org)

Please note that chewing gum does not allow one to skip the brushing or the flossing. Ever. Sorry.

5- Smarty pants

There have been multiple studies which seem to indicate that chewing gum may increase memory and improve test performance.

Unfortunately, chewing gum in school – kind of frowned upon.  Too many wads wind up stuck under the desk, in carpet, or in hair. But if you’re studying at home, it can’t hurt.

If you’d like to see a list of sugar-free chewing gums that get the stamp of approval from the American Dental Association – yes, the “four out of five dentists” endorsement is a real thing – visit this page on their website:

http://www.ada.org/en/science-research/ada-seal-of-acceptance/ada-seal-products/product-category/?category=Sugar+Free+Chewing+Gum+for+Reducing+Cavities

Finally: Brush, floss, rinse and chew to get those teeth clean and shiny in preparation for World Smile Day, this Friday, October 2, 2015.