3 Good Reasons To See A Dentist Before Cancer Treatment

1.  You can take steps to prevent Oral Cancer by seeing a dentist frequently. The dentist will look for oral cancer by checking your lips,cheeks, tongue,gums and the floor and roof of your mouth. We also check the face and neck.  I had a patient that we found his lymph nodes were enlarged and the MD  when he saw him at our request found melanoma, we also found a malignant thyroid from enlarged lymph glands.  2. What are we looking for-a red or white patch- a sore that bleeds easily or does not heal -a thick or hard spot or a lump - a roughened or crusted area- other signs of cancer include numbness, or a change when your teeth bite together, pain or no pain, problems with chewing swallowing speaking or moving your tongue and jaw.  If you have had oral cancer you maybe more likely toget it again. 3.A dentist cannot diagnose cancer during an examination.  Oral Cancer can only be diagnosed with a biopsy and then it is examined under a microscope - but we can identify suspicious looking areas or growths that need further evaluation.  When I first started in practice I found a suspicious lesion on a patient that chewed tobacco - I referred him immediately to an Oral Surgeon for evaluation and a biopsy- I referred him at least 6 times -he would not go - he was afraid that they would find something-He left the practice for a few years and when I saw him next he came to have his teeth cleaned prior to having the cancer removed.  He Died soon after that and I wish to this day I could have found the right words to have him go in sooner - he might have lived--Don't Wait If Something Doesn't Feel Right In Your Mouth- See A Dentist

How Good Is Your Child's Diet

The quality of our children's diets needs to be improved.  Poor eating habits established  in childhood may be carried over to adulthood.  How often do we stop at the fast food places when time is difficult to find?  The high sugar, high glycemic carbohydrate diet shows in your children's teeth.  Poor  eating habits are contributing to children that are either overweight or obese.  Nutrition related diseases in children that were once considered adult illnesses such as Type 2 Diabetes and High Blood  Pressure are more common.  Due to high carbohydrate (the bad carbohydrates- sugars that break down easily- cookies, candy, pop,the newer energy drinks -which are mostly sugar with an acid base to help keep it in stores, refined carbohydrates- almost anything that has a label on it, will affect your child's health and teeth.  Try to Plan meals and snacks before hand- instead of cookies or pop for a snack give your child a banana, apple , orange -cheese in slices nuts - Crackers will stick to their teeth and until they brush and floss lay there and eat away at their teeth.  A cavity is just that a hole in their teeth due to acid from food.