I present the latest innovations in dentistry, as well as little-knownfacts and general information to keep your teeth healthy.
People should know that the demographics of the people getting oral cancer are changing. The fastest growing segment of the oral cancer population are YOUNG, non smokers, who come to the disease through the HPV16 virus, one of the same ones that causes cervical cancer in women. It is sexually transmitted between partners. As many as 39 % (study sponsored by OCF and NCI at Johns Hopkins and peer review published) of newly diagnosed people fall into this group. So don't think because you eat right, exercise, don't smoke, etc. that this can't sneak up on you. Because this disease is painless in its early stages, you may not notice any symptoms. The only thing that you can do is see a dentist that is competent an involved in oral cancer screenings and, at least annually, get an exam. It is a simple visual and tactile screening, inexpensive, painless and only takes 5 minutes of your time. You don't even have to take your clothes off!! In all cancers where we have made progress against the death rate, it has not so much been through new science. It has been early discovery of the disease at stages when treatments that we have work the best. See your dentist. Get screened. As lay people we don't know so much about what doctors or dentists are doing.... We like their office their staff, their chairside manner. But if you would like to see a description of what a good oral cancer screening is by a dentist, you can go to this link. There are some obvious giveaway things they do that will let you know if your doctor is doing it right..... http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/how_do_you_know.html
Post a Comment