Another Reason NOT to Skip Your Dental Visits!

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. It’s also among the most preventable and curable when caught early. And, since May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection & Prevention Month, we want to clue you in on just how critical a partner your dentist is when it comes to detecting this form of cancer.

What is melanoma?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer, and one of the most serious. Researchers are not certain as to its causes, but according to studies completed at the University of Minnesota, repeated exposure to the sun is considered to be a “commonly associated factor.” That said, even though melanoma is understood in layman’s terms to be a “skin” cancer, we can’t always prevent it by applying sunscreen. Biologically speaking, melanoma can manifest anywhere melanocytes exist, whether that’s in our skin, mouth, heart, or other tissues. It’s precisely for this reason that maintaining regular visits to your dentist can literally save your life.

How does the dentist help and what are the symptoms?

As with any cancer, early detection is key, and a regular visit to your dentist who can see more areas of your mouth at closer range than you possibly could is your best course of action. There are signs and symptoms, however, that should elicit concern if you experience them: if you have a frequent sore throat, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and red or whitish patches within your mouth, you should see you doctor. Likewise, changes in the color, shape or size of skin pigmentation should prompt a visit to the doctor, as well as if you notice any new pigmentation on your face, head or neck.

How often do I have to have my mouth checked for this?

At every appointment your dentist should be reviewing your mouth and neck to look for any abnormalities or changes in tissue. This exam takes place without you even being aware it’s happening, but if you’re ever curious, just ask your dentist to walk you through it during your next appointment. Due to their ability to detect cancerous lesions early, an oral cancer screening can literally save your life. Your dentist may also offer additional screening opportunities using special medical screening devices that further aid in early detection by illuminating the tissue within your mouth with a special light called ViziLite. 

It’s worth repeating.

Your teeth aren’t the only things in your mouth worth protecting. So be sure to visit your dentist regularly for an oral health screening. Your dentist plays a critical role in the early detection and treatment of oral cancer concerns. Get that checkup!

Electronic Cigarettes: Are They Any Better for Your Health?

If you’re a smoker looking to quit, electronic cigarettes may look to be the perfect panacea; providing the familiar look and feel of a cigarette without the drawbacks of tobacco. Understanding how accurate this viewpoint is, however, is the question you should ask yourself, and given the product’s lack of real history in the marketplace, getting a conclusive answer will take time. The best approach, then, is to get the facts as they exist now, so you can make as informed a decision as is possible. We’d like to help.

What We Know Now:

• The best air for your lungs is clean air. Perhaps Dr. Tim McAfee, of the Center For Disease Control, says it best: “We have to rely on what we know of toxicology, that what comes out of e-cigarettes is less toxic, but it’s more toxic than breathing clean air.
• We don’t want our kids smoking. While electronic cigarettes can be purchased without nicotine, most still contain this addictive chemical compound. Candy flavored “vapors” as they’re known, and “skins” that allow consumers to change the look of an e-cigarette have raised concern that these products are being marketed to children. As a result, since there is no federal age restriction on the purchase of e-cigarettes, nearly every state in the union has passed their own laws prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.
• E-cigarettes can play a part in smoking cessation programs. Electronic cigarettes have only been on the market for 10 years, so research studies surrounding their efficacy in helping people quit smoking are not large in number. That said, the research is promising when compared to traditional cessation products such as nicotine patches.
• We need more research. One difficulty in understanding the benefits, or potential harm, of e-cigarettes lies in the diversity of the product. Because it is unregulated, and hundreds of companies manufacture these products (including major tobacco companies), there is currently no adequate way to measure their composition, nor effects. There are just too many variables. For that reason, the attorneys general from 40 states each signed a single letter to the FDA in September of 2013 requesting oversight of the products. Further research is indeed the key to clarifying the debate around e-cigarettes.

As it is with any contentious discussion, particularly one centered on smoking, there are many differences of opinion. Whatever your personal viewpoint, please do your research and understand the risks. As the old saying goes: “Caveat emptor.”