Chemo, Cancer and Mouth Sores

Biotene which you  can get at the drugstore is a toothpaste that doesn't contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) and doesn't cause much irritation.  The mouthwash is soothing and and gentle.  The mouth moisturizers might help lubricate the mouth and help with dry mouth.  A low acid, bland diet is also helpful.  Avoiding citrus fruits and juices and anything hot and spicy is recommended.  Soft and pureed foods are easier to get down than foods that require a lot of chewing.  Ensure,Slim- Fast or Boost shakes are easy and they are packed with nutrition and the calories they need.  Your dentist or oncologist can prescribe viscous lidocaine and rinse with it as needed.   If you are doing it before eating this will numb the mouth and palate.  Some need to take anything from Tylenol to Vicodin depending on the pain level an hour before meal time.  Even with a sore mouth try hard to clean the mouth thoroughly -secondary infections can occur and fungal infections or Thrush can happen during chemo.  The flouride tooth paste ProDenX made be Zila  is SLS free.   A mixture of equal parts of liquid Benadryl and Malox is a great rinse for radiation patients.  Be sure to get  fluoride trays made at the dentist so it will help protect the teeth from root caries which are bacteria which will cause a lot of decay quickly- these trays should be used daily with a small amout of prescription fluoride which is 5x stronger than regular toothpase.

Can You See It Or Not?

What do you do when you dentist tells you they see 2 cavities in your teeth?  At our office we can show you what they look like by digital x- rays  and Intra- Oral Cameras.  The camera is an amazing device that is and actual minature video camera that displays a closeup picture of the inside of your mouth.  You can see for yourself what work needs to be done and which teeth are doing fine- Then you become a participant in each dental decision.  You will love how this works.  Digital X-rays are a fabulous newer technique that  gives 90%  less radiation of a  normal X-Ray.  We can make the image look bigger so that you don't have to be a dentist to see the cavity in your teeth. We have a  Digital Panorex which goes around your head and takes an x-ray picture of your whole jaw.  We even have a special type of X-ray that we can take on little kids who can't   bite on the x- ray taker because their mouth is too small - then we can see if they have any flossing cavities in between thier teeth--so Can You See It Or Not --You Can At Dr. McGarry's Office!!

Sweet Tooth's - Do They All Get Cavities-Xylitol Can Reverse Decay

Xylitol can reverse decay- especially if it is small.  Xylitol has been around for a long time It is a 5 carbon sugar alcohol that is made from birch and hardwood trees.   It is  also found in fruit ( yellow plums, strawberries, raspberries,endive and mushrooms)  Xylitol is also produced in the human liver - therefore safe for humans to consume.  For decades it was used primarily for diabetic diets and in 1974 began to be produced in chewing gum. What Does It  Do? Regular sugar  in the mouth create an acidic cavity promoting low pH. Xylitol does not create acid in the mouth.  It can actually help to prevent cavities- it won't replace cleanings and exams but it can help people who are high risk for decay. Sounds too good to be true?  one of the draw backs is gastrointestinal upset- so it is better to get a little over a longer period of time.  It is not recommended more than 5 sticks of gum a day.  The  benefits of Xylitol go beyond helping to reduce cavities- it can reduce the amount of insulin required to maintain blood sugar levels, -  when used as a nasal wash it helped to prevent bacteria from sticking and thus reduced the risk of  infections- it has been shown to help fight ear infections- it is even completely safe for expectant mothers - it has a glycemic index of 7 so it does not raise the blood sugar much and diabetics require little or no insulin due to the little change  in  the glucose.  It is deadly to DOGS so keep them away from it. 

Spit Is It!

WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT SPIT?   SALIVA IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ISN'T MISSED UNTIL IT IS GONE.   IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH OF  YOUR MOUTH AND YOUR BODY.  SALIVA REMOVES  WASTE PRODUCTS, HELPS THE MOUTH FIGHT DISEASE, AND MAINTAINS LUBICATION FOR SPEAKING, EATING AND CHEWING.    XEROSTOMIA IS LACK OF  OR REDUCED SPIT!  WITHOUT IT WE CAN EASILY GET CAVITIES, SEVERE WEARING OF ENAMEL, MOUTH FUNGUS (CANDIDIASIS) AND BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.   ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE POPULATION IS GOING TO HAVE DRY MOUTH- IT IS CAUSED BY OVER  1800 MEDICATONS AND MORE ARE BEING FOUND EVERY DAY.  COMMON MEDICATONS  ARE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATIONS, SEDATIVES AND TRANQUILIZERS, ANTIHISTAMINES, MUSCLE RELAXERS, ANTIDEPRESSANTS, DIURETICS, AND MANY MANY MORE.  WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?  KEEPING YOUR MOUTH HEALTHY, CLEAN AND DRINKING LOTS OF WATER IS A GREAT START.   AVOID DIRECT AIR FLOW FROM FANS AND AIR
CONDITIONING.  TOBACCO USE DRIES THE MOUTH AND SMOKERS ARE 7X MORE LIKELY TO HAVE GUM DISEASE.  CAFFIENE DRIES THE MOUTH .  WHAT CAN CAN BE DONE?  CHECK WITH YOUR M.D. TO SEE IF ANY OF THE MEDICATIONS CAN BE CHANGED OR ALTERED IN THE  AMOUNTS.   THERE ARE MANY COMMERCIALY AVAILABLE WETTING AGENTS  FOR THE MOUTH- THERE ARE SPRAYS, RINSES, GELS, LOZENGES, AND SALIVARY SUBSTITUTES -TALK TO YOUR DENTIST!!

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. 

Alexia and her Pink Fillings at Dr. Patty McGarry's Office

If you want to see the new colored fillings for baby teeth check out U- Tube  for a little video on Alexia and her Pink Fillings- not only do they come in Pink but also in Orange, Purple and Green- They are regular white composite fillings but in fun colors- They last very well and the good kids get colored fillings and a balloon animal and a prize - We love kids at Dr.Patty McGarry's office.