Diamons

oral cancer

Photography by Dr. Padval

Update on Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world, and strikes over 43,000 people each year in America. Over the past 30 years, survival rates have only increased from 45 percent to 54 percent, with survival rates lower among African Americans and people under 40. In a recent poll, the National Institute of Dental Research found that a sizable population understood the causes and early signs of oral cancer. Along with genetic disposition, risk factors include: smoking or chewing tobacco, regular alcohol [...]

By |2024-09-03T10:02:04-07:00December 3, 2024|Patient Education|

Smoking and Still Smiling?

Say you've spent the time and effort to get your mouth and teeth in shape. You’re dentally hale and hearty. And you smoke. As if there isn't enough reason to give up smoking, your dental health suffers too. Dramatically. Aside from the tobacco stains on teeth (not to mention the bouquet), serious oral disease can develop. The evidence just keeps piling up. Gum Disease - Research is showing that the incidence of gum disease is increased in a smoker, even given good oral hygiene and the best dental [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:39:51-07:00April 2, 2024|Patient Education|

Oral Cancer Facts and Screening

How common and how serious is oral cancer? Oral cancer, the sixth most common cancer, accounts for about 3.6 percent of all cancers diagnosed, with roughly 40,000 new cases of oral cancer reported annually in the United States. The vast majority of these cases occur in people older than 45 years, with men being twice as likely as women to develop the disease. The most frequent oral cancer sites are the tongue, the floor of the mouth, and soft palate tissue areas in back [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:37:17-07:00February 20, 2024|Preventative Dentistry|

Get An Oral Cancer Screening

Detect oral cancer in its early stages. If you are a user of alcohol, tobacco, or other nicotine products, you probably already know that they aren't good for your oral health. The last thing you want is to hear another lecture about kicking the habit. Well, when you visit our office, we are not here to guilt-trip you. We're here to help! And part of that process includes providing an oral cancer screening, especially if you're at high risk. Oral cancer is a relatively [...]

By |2023-05-23T08:00:18-07:00May 23, 2023|Preventative Dentistry|

Benefits of Self-Examination

Make Self-Examination Part Of Your Routine Most people know the importance of brushing and flossing their teeth, but one part of your oral health routine you may be neglecting is a simple visual self-examination. Take some time to get acquainted with all the parts of your mouth. You probably know what your teeth look like, but you should also note the appearance of your tongue, gums, back of the throat, and other soft tissues. You don't have to know what all the parts are [...]

By |2023-02-07T08:00:50-08:00February 7, 2023|Preventative Dentistry|

Tobacco Use & Your Oral Health

Does Smoking & Using Tobacco Cause Oral Problems? Learn about the adverse effects. You probably know that smoking cigarettes and using tobacco is detrimental to your health. But the problems are not limited to lung disease and secondhand smoke. On the contrary, the use of this harmful carcinogen can also have adverse effects on your oral health. Nicotine, the psychoactive ingredient in tobacco, is highly addictive. Though much progress has been made in educating the public on the dangers, millions still become addicted each [...]

By |2022-09-13T08:00:51-07:00September 13, 2022|Patient Education|

Oral Cancer Prevention

Critical Oral Cancer Facts And what to know about prevention Oral cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease. Every year, over 50,000 Americans receive a diagnosis. Typically, it affects men at twice the rate of women and is most often diagnosed in those 40 years of age and older. Risk factors include tobacco use (especially chewing tobacco), consuming alcohol, and contracting human papillomavirus (HPV). If these characteristics describe you, then be sure to do your best to change the behavior! [...]

By |2022-04-12T08:00:04-07:00April 12, 2022|Preventative Dentistry|

Preventing Periodontal Disease

Early Diagnosis is the Most Effective Means of Control Periodontal (gum) disease is more common than heart disease or even cancer, but because it's not categorized as "life-threatening," few people know much about the condition. The tragedy of this disease is that it can totally devastate your appearance. Left untreated, it will erode your jawbone, ultimately resulting in the loss of teeth. Germs from periodontal disease can even enter the bloodstream, where they have the potential to cause debilitating effects on your general health. [...]

By |2020-02-25T08:00:04-08:00February 25, 2020|Periodontal Dentistry|

Other Oral Concerns… Besides Teeth

Common Problems of the Oral Cavity Most people associate dentistry with teeth. But the fact is, our focus is on the continued good health of your entire mouth–the oral cavity, as we dentists call it. The Tongue It's a highly helpful indicator of what may be going right–or wrong–inside the mouth. A smooth, or red tongue might suggest some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency, while a chronically painful tongue may simply suggest poorly-fitting dentures. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) Beyond just being uncomfortable, dry mouth [...]

By |2019-05-21T08:00:39-07:00May 21, 2019|Patient Education|

Every Mouth is Different

Custom Dental Care for Your Needs No two of us are alike. We all have our own smiles, speech patterns, eye and hair colorings. But we're just now beginning to learn how unique our mouth environments really are. Turns out, they're as distinctively different as fingerprints. One patient can go a year between checkups, while another might need to turn as often as every six weeks. The difference? The unique bacterial/chemical mix of each person's mouth. Professionally we call these differences "individualization." Tartar builders, [...]

By |2018-07-03T00:00:10-07:00July 3, 2018|Preventative Dentistry|