YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW MANY OF THE DANGERS associated with smoking. But, did you also know that smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to lose their teeth? In addition, there are even greater dangers that smoking presents to your oral health.

Smoking wreaks havoc on your gums. It lowers your ability to fight infections in your mouth and compounds healing time. It increases the risk for periodontal disease. Smokers are even twice as likely to need root canals and more likely to develop cavities.

Most Of All…

Smoking is the biggest controllable risk factor for oral cancer. An oral cancer study in the UK concluded that 70% of oral cancer cases in men, and 55% of oral cancer cases in women, were caused by smoking.

What Can You Do To Guard Against Oral Cancer?

First and foremost, reduce your risk factors:

• Smoking is the #1 risk factor. Stop.
• Smoking and drinking together is worse than either one alone. Be smart.
• Some strains of HPV are related to oral cancer. Practice safe habits.

Know the signs:

Unfortunately, oral cancer still occurs in people without any typical risk factors. So even if you don’t smoke, you need to know the signs of oral cancer, including:

• A red or white sore in your mouth that does not go away after two weeks
• Unexplainable pain or numbness in your mouth
• Difficulty swallowing

Have regular oral cancer screenings.

By examining the tissues in your mouth we can spot the signs of oral cancer early, making successful treatment much more probable.

The best way to be safe is to quit smoking—end of story, no exceptions.

As your health care professionals, we encourage you to cut your risk for this life-threatening disease by cutting smoking out of your life.

If you’re just not ready to take the first step toward quitting, please take care of your health by keeping your regular appointments with our practice. Studies show that 50% of smokers don’t come to their regular appointments. Your check-ups are more important than ever. Be vigilant.

You can learn more at oralcancerfoundation.orgormouthcancer.org.

If you have any questions about reducing your risk factors, or what to expect during an oral cancer screening, contact us. If you notice something that you’re worried may be an early sign of oral cancer, give us a call.

Thank you for your trust in our practice!

ARE YOU A LITTLE SURPRISED by the headline of this blog post? If so, you’re not alone. Many people are unaware of the link between asthma and tooth decay resulting from dry mouth.

What Does Asthma Have To Do With Cavities?

When drawing one’s breath doesn’t come easily, most people compensate by breathing through their mouths. In turn, breathing through your mouth causes your mouth to dry out. When there’s insufficient saliva to protect and clean your teeth, you’re left more vulnerable to decay-causing bacteria. In addition, some people compound the problem by sipping on sugary drinks all day trying to quench the dryness!

As if that weren’t enough, asthma and allergy medications themselves can cause even more dryness on top of the mouth breathing. Not a good combination.

Some Evidence—But It’s Not Just About Kids

A Swedish studyof children and young adults with similar backgrounds and habits evaluated the links between asthma and caries. Within the group with asthma, 19 out of 20 kids developed tooth decay. In the group of asthma-free kids 7 out of 20 developed tooth decay.

Although the study above centered around kids with asthma, the risks are equally applicable to adults as shown in the video report below:

What You Can Do About It

Asthma may not have a simple fix, but tooth decay does. First and foremost, stick faithfully to the basics. Brush at least twice a day and floss to clean the places in your mouth where brushing misses. Keep your scheduled cleaning and checkup appointments. Avoid foods and drinks that are most harmful to your teeth.

And specific to this issue, here are some tips for increased, healthy saliva flow:

• Consider chewing sugarless gum.
• Consider occasionally sucking on sugarless mints.
• Be sure to drink water regularly.

One More Special Note About Asthma

If you have asthma, or if someone in your care has asthma, please let our team know! The more we know about your health the better. It helps us advise and serve you better. If you have any questions about how asthma can impact your oral health, please ask us! We’re honored to be your resource.

Thanks for being a fantastic part of our practice! We appreciate having you as our patient.

DID YOU REALIZE THAT AN ESTIMATED 90% of systemic diseases can have an oral manifestation? Your mouth is loaded with helpful information about your body’s overall health.

Fortunately, most of your mouth’s “stories” are related to minor issues. However, some can actually be signs of more serious problems.

Your Teeth

If you have worn-down teeth it can mean that you’ve been grinding your teeth—probably in your sleep. Grinding can be a symptom of TMD (temporomandibular disorder) which may also lead to chronic headaches.

If we notice that your tooth enamel is thin, it could be a sign of a condition such as acid reflux or bulimia because both regularly bathe teeth in stomach acid.

Your Gums

Occasionally, we all may have swollen, sensitive gums. But if it persists, even when you’re taking really good care of your mouth, it could be an early sign of something serious like diabetes or leukemia. Sometimes it may simply be a sign of vitamin C deficiency. But, it’s good to consider all the possibilities.

In addition, modern research and many health experts continue to draw lines between gum disease and other whole-body health issues including lung disease, cardiovascular problems, and even early-term labor.

Your Tongue

There are a few odd tongue conditions like hairy black tongue (which is pretty much what it sounds like) and geographic tongue (random-shaped, smooth red patches) that have various causes but are not considered serious—although they can cause discomfort. However, what IS serious are early signs of oral cancer which often show up on the side of your tongue first, in small red or white spots. If you have a sore on your tongue, cheek, or elsewhere in your mouth that doesn’t go away in a reasonable amount of time, have us check it out right away.

Nutritional Imbalances

Nutritional deficiencies are often reflected in your mouth where the soft tissues are renewed quickly. An Academy of General Dentistry study shows that oral tissue sensitivity can be a sign of deficiencies in iron, zinc, and folic acid which can show up as gum disease.

An Interesting Report From CBS News

Questions About Your Oral Or Overall Health?

First of all, don’t skip your doctor appointments! That’s not the point of this post! But remember that your regular dental checkups are more important than ever.

Here at our practice, we’re so grateful for your trust. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your oral health, please ask us. And if you have any persistent symptoms like those listed in this post, let us know.

Thanks for being our valued patient. We love what we do because of you!

THIS IS REALLY interesting. Perhaps, if you struggle with some level of dental anxiety, odds are you’ve picked some of that up from your parents.

Breaking The Dental Anxiety Cycle

According to a new study, by the University of Madrid, children most often look to their fathers when gauging potentially stressful situations. It appears that if a father is nervous about dental visits, his children pick up on his cues (no surprise there)—even unintentional ones—and may follow suit.

The findings include you too, mom.The International Journal of Pediatric Dentistry confirms that the higher the level of dental anxiety in any family member, the higher the level in the rest of the family. Other studies show that women more often demonstrate positive habits and attitudes towards dentistry—so it may be up to you to set the good example!

Your Comfort Is Our Highest Priority

The “old days” of dentistry are long gone. Modern dentistry makes visiting the dentist a comfortable experience. Here at our practice, we take your comfort very seriously. Here are a couple of additional ideas:

1. You’re always welcome to bring a friend or family member. Whatever your age, sometimes it’s nice to have a friendly face with you if you’re anxious.
2. Distract yourself. Do you have some favorite songs on your phone or MP3 player? What about a handheld game you enjoy? Bring it along! Our team will do everything we can to accommodate you.
3. Talk to us! One of the best ways to overcome anxiety is to talk about it. We are always happy to explain what we’re doing. And we’re happy to take breaks when and if you need them.

Some Ideas From HealthDay TV:

Helping Us Know You Better Makes A Difference Too!

Lots of things are uncomfortable when they’re new, or outside your routine. We want you to feel at home in our practice, so help us get to know you better. One of the best ways is through our social media channels—especially on our Facebook page. Connect with us there and leave a comment or Like. You can also direct message us there. We’re listening.Do you have a recommendation for overcoming dental anxiety? Something that’s worked for you? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below!

We appreciate and value your trust. Thanks for being our patient!