Download Take the Step and Spring into Excellent Oral Health and an Even

Take the Step and Spring into Excellent Oral Health and an Even Better You!
It’s hard to believe that we are already a quarter of the way into the New Year! It
appears that Spring has definitely arrived after the mild winter we had.
Considering the fact that most dental insurances renew in January coupled with this
great spring weather, there is no better time than the present to schedule your
preventative cleaning and examination appointment. Most dental insurances allow two
such appointments per calendar year provided they are scheduled six months apart.
This is a wonderful “maintenance plan” to assure you of optimal oral health.
These “maintenance appointments” will serve as an early means of detection for tooth
decay, failing or broken restorations or crowns, ill-fitting dentures, gum issues and even
oral cancer. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and the American Dental
Association urges scheduled oral hygiene and examination appointments no less than
every six months to assure early detection of all dental issues including oral cancer.
Remember – early detection leads to early, less-invasive and costly treatment!
Last year, nearly 42,000 patients were diagnosed with oral or throat cancer. Sadly, the
five year survival rate if the diagnosis is advanced is only 64%. On the brighter side,
early cancer detection and treatment will greatly reduce the health-related problems
which result from aggressive therapy.
Again, regularly-scheduled preventative, diagnostic oral hygiene appointments is the
best line of defense to detect oral cancer in its earliest of stages. These visits will
greatly enhance your chances for early detection of suspicious oral health changes that,
when caught early, will lead to easier, less-invasive treatments.
A patient’s second line of defense is self-examination on a routine basis. Routine oral
“self-checks” are very instrumental in proper diagnosis when combined with your
dentist’s findings as well as reporting all signs and symptoms of something that “just
doesn’t seem normal to you”.
If any of the following signs and/or symptoms appear and do not subside or disappear
within two weeks, consult with your dentist immediately:
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Sudden changes in how your upper and lower teeth meet
Pain, tenderness, or numbness in your mouth or lips
Irritations or sores are present
Discoloration such as red or white patches
Difficulties when speaking, chewing, swallowing, or moving your jaw or tongue
Lumpy, crusty lesions
7) Erosive areas
8) Raised lesions/swelling
Those that are at the highest risk for oral cancer would be either heavy smokers or
drinkers who are age 50 or older. The human papilloma virus version 16, which is
sexually transmitted, is related to the increasing incidence of mouth cancer in nonsmoking patients. It should be noted that several still-unknown internal and external
factors exist which may also play a role in oral cancer development.
The earliest indicator for imminent disease is your mouth. Lumps, sores, or oral lesions
lasting more than two weeks may serve as an early warning of impending health issues.
With the coming of Spring, renewed dental benefits, and the benefits of early detection,
make an affirmative step towards a better you that will be around for family and friends
for an even longer time to come. Should you wish to take a step towards better overall
dental and physical health and well-being, please do not hesitate to contact my office to
schedule an appointment at a time which is most convenient to you.
For additional office information, past dental articles, or more oral hygiene instructions,
please visit our website at www.toothdocpa.com or contact us at 570-443-9892.