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OTTAWA, ONTARIO– According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, around 43,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. Unfortunately, oral cancer is often discovered late in its development. Trillium dental, a family practice, is able to detect oral cancer during routine dental examinations.

Mouth cancer occurs when cells in the mouth or lips form mutations in the DNA, allowing cancer cells to grow, divide and possibly form a tumor. Mouth cancers usually begin to form in the flat, thin cells that line the lips and the inside of the mouth. However, cancer cells may also spread to other areas of the mouth, head, neck, or other parts of the body.

Signs and Symptoms

Oftentimes people mistake the symptoms of oral cancer for another ailment. It is important to analyze these precursors and be certain of all conditions. Signs and symptoms of mouth cancer may include:

• A sore that doesn’t heal
• A lump or thickening of the skin or lining of the mouth
• A white or reddish patch on the inside of the mouth
• Loose teeth
• Poorly fitting dentures
• Tongue pain
• Jaw pain or stiffness
• Difficult or painful chewing
• Difficult or painful swallowing
• A sore throat
• The feeling like something is caught in the throat

Increased Risk

People who smoke and drink alcohol are more at risk of developing oral cancers. Approximately 70% of patients with oral cancer are heavy drinkers. Factors that can increase your risk of mouth cancer include:

• Tobacco use, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff
• Heavy alcohol use
• Excessive sun exposure to your lips
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Exposure to radiation
• Mouthwash
• Low intake of fruits and vegetables with beta-carotene
• Low intake of Vitamin C and fiber

Testing and Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose mouth cancer can be done to detect early symptoms. Our dentists will examine your lips and mouth to look for abnormalities, sores and white patches. If any abnormalities are found, a sample of cells is cut or scraped off for laboratory testing in a biopsy. The cells are analyzed for cancer or precancerous variations, indicating a risk of future cancer.

If mouth cancer is diagnosed, doctors then determine the stage of the cancer. They can do this by using a lighted scope to inspect the throat and look for signs that the cancer has spread beyond the mouth in an endoscopy. Depending on the condition, doctors may also take X-rays, an MRI, CT scans, or a PET scan.

Perform a Self-Exam Monthly

To be precautious perform an oral cancer self-exam using a mirror and a light.

• Remove any dentures
• Look and feel inside the lips and the front of gums
• Tilt head back to inspect and feel the roof of your mouth
• Pull the cheek out to see its inside surface as well as the back of the gums
• Pull out your tongue and look at all of its surfaces
• Feel for lumps or enlarged lymph nodes on both sides of the neck

Perform self-examinations and inspect the mouth for the following:

• Red and/or white patches
• A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily
• An abnormal lump or thickening of the tissues of the mouth
• Chronic sore throat or hoarseness
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• A mass or lump in the neck

If you exhibit the signs or symptoms, contact Trillium Dental today to get screened and referred to a specialist. Treatment for mouth cancer depends on the cancer location and stage, as well as the overall health and personal preferences of the individual.

Treatment for Oral Cancer

Radiation therapy uses powerful rays to kill cancer cells. External beam radiation therapy is delivered from a machine outside of the body. Brachytherapy uses radioactive seeds and wires, which are placed near the cancer. Radiation therapy may be the only treatment used in cases of early-stage mouth cancer. Radiation therapy can also be used after surgery or combined with chemotherapy. Radiation therapy may help relieve the symptoms brought on by the cancer, such as pain.

Side effects of radiation therapy to your mouth may include dry mouth, tooth decay, mouth sores, bleeding gums, jaw stiffness, fatigue and red skin reactions.

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy, so the two are often combined.

Side effects of chemotherapy depend on which drugs you receive. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting and hair loss.

If a tumor is present, doctors may perform surgery to remove it. The surgeon cuts away the tumor and some of the healthy adjoining tissue. Smaller cancers may be removed through a more minor surgery. Removing a large tumor may require removing a section of the jawbone or a portion of the tongue. If cancer spreads to the lymph nodes in the neck, then the surgeon may perform a neck dissection, removing the cancerous lymph nodes and related tissue in the neck.

As always, surgery carries a risk of bleeding and infection. Surgery for mouth cancer can also affect a person’s appearance and their ability to speak, eat and swallow. There are specialists to help people with these changes.

Targeted drugs treat mouth cancer by altering specific aspects of cancer cells that fuel their growth. Targeted drugs can be used in combination with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Cetuximab is a targeted therapy used for treating certain head and neck cancers. Other targeted drugs are being studied in clinical trials.

Regular check-ups and awareness help reduce the risk oral cancer. Oral cancer is the largest group of cancers that fall into the head and neck cancer category. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, this is the fifth year in a row that there has been an increase in the rate of oral cancers. Schedule your screening today.

STITTSVILLE AND OTTAWA, ONTARIO – The Stittsville dentistry team at Trillium Dental knows how important it is to treat signs of gum disease early. Gum disease is detrimental to your tooth and gum health, and it can cost you permanent teeth if left untreated. At every regular teeth cleaning, our Stittsville and Ottawa dental teams screen patients for gum disease. In its early stages, it can be eradicated.

Here are the top 10 reasons to treat gum disease:

1. To Avoid Tooth Loss

Gum disease is the main cause of adult tooth loss. Tooth loss is harmful to your bite, your bone health and your self-esteem. If you treat gum disease early enough, you can thwart tooth loss and protect your smile.

2. To Avoid Gum Recession

Gum disease often causes your gums to pull away from your teeth. The recession forms pockets where bacteria gathers and grows. Treat gum disease and keep your gums healthy, strong and prominent.

3. To Reduce Hospital Visits

Gum disease, especially in advanced stages, can cause severe pain, which may lead you to visit the emergency room more often. Studies show that treating gum disease lowers your ER visits and medical costs.

4. To Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Gum disease has been linked to respiratory disease, diabetes and even some types of cancer. It has also been heavily linked to heart disease. Untreated gum disease can heighten your risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.

5. To Avoid Bone Deterioration

Severe gum disease causes tooth loss, and tooth loss causes the jawbone to deteriorate. The bone will weaken when the tooth it supports is lost. The deterioration can spread out and weaken other parts of your jaw.

6. To Preserve Your Bite

Losing one or more teeth to gum disease can be avoided. When you lose a tooth, your bite changes. Your teeth may fit together differently, and you may have trouble chewing food. You could even experience migraines or TMJ problems from a destabilized bite.

7. To Keep Your Gums Healthy

Your gums are the foundation of your smile. Healthy teeth come from healthy gums, and strong gums will hold your teeth firmly in place. Healthy gums don’t bleed, don’t recede and don’t cause you pain.

8. To Control the Infection

Gum disease is simply an infection. Bacteria and plaque have caused gum recession and maybe even tooth loss. The infection, if left untreated, could even spread to your bloodstream. You should treat gum disease to control and remove the infection from your body.

9. To Avoid Loosened Teeth

Before a tooth is lost completely, it will grow loose. A loose permanent tooth will feel much like a loose baby tooth, except this is a tooth you’re supposed to keep forever. Treating gum disease will strengthen your gums and strengthen their bonds with your teeth.

10. To Reduce Associated Pain and Discomfort

Gum disease often causes bleeding, tender gums. You may not brush and floss regularly because of the pain, or you may avoid eating when the pain is intense. Treating gum disease will reduce your pain and restore your gums to their previous good health.

You already know that brushing and flossing is important for your smile. But did you also know that what happens to your smile can have a significant impact on the rest of your body as well?

Recent studies have shown that many serious health problems can be tied to gum disease. Among the biggest are:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Preterm and low birth deliveries
• Alzheimer’s Disease

While the specific relationship between gum disease and each of these health problems isn’t entirely understood yet, doctors and scientists do understand the basic relationship. And it all goes back to how gum disease changes your smile.

HOW GUM DISEASE CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH

Gum disease is caused by bacteria and plaque, which create pockets between your teeth and gums. These pockets act like doorways, letting bacteria and plaque into your bloodstream, and from there into other parts of your body.

At this point, you could almost think of your bloodstream as something like a mass transit system for trouble. This is particularly the case when it comes to heart disease. Just as bacteria and plaque create pockets in your gums by irritating your soft tissue, so they can also irritate your arterial wall, stimulating the production of protective plaque.

As this plaque builds up, it starts to act like a dam for blood flow. If enough of it accumulates, you just might find yourself on a collision course with a myocardial infarction—better known as a heart attack.

The relationship between gum disease and other health problems like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and preterm birth may be more mysterious, but mounting evidence suggest that a relationship does indeed exists.

Trillium Dental can help, though, and in our next post, we’ll talk about what exactly we’re doing to revitalize smiles and protect our patients’ overall health.

EFFECTIVE OPTIONS FOR TREATING GUM DISEASE

Gum disease can affect more than just your smile. It can also put you at greater risk for a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and preterm and low birth deliveries.

But with regular dental visits to Trillium Dental and a commitment to brushing and flossing, you can help protect your smile and the rest of your body from gum disease and the threat it poses.

If you already have gum disease, though, simply spending more time at the bathroom sink may not be enough. That’s why Trillium Dental offers a range of services to help patients restore and revitalize their smiles.

Our periodontal services include:

• Root planning
• Gingival grafts
• Gingivectomies
• Crown lengthening

And because many of these treatments utilize our soft-tissue laser, they can be done with greater precision and comfort for our patients than ever before, leaving behind a healthier smile and helping to improve your body’s overall health.

You can find out more about any one of our periodontal services such as dental implants and teeth whitening by visiting our website or by scheduling a consultation visit with one of our doctors.

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KANATA AND OTTAWA, ONTARIO-April is National Oral Health Month in Canada and Dr. David Bartos, Dr. Mark Northcott and the Trillium Dental team stress the importance ofs regular screenings in honor of it.

Our dentists provide oral cancer screenings during each regular office visit to ensure your mouth is safe from quiet killers. The American Dental Association suggests two visits to your dentist per year, and these regular checkups are frequent enough to catch potential problems at an early stage.

While many of our patients enjoy teeth whitening, regular teeth cleanings and Invisalign from our Ottawa cosmetic dentists, our greatest concern is making sure that your mouth is healthy and strong. We inspect your teeth, gums and jaw carefully, and we take the time to discuss your oral health plan with you. Our goal is to provide long-term dental health to our patients. Our doctors excel in cosmetic dentistry, restorative, sedation and family dentistry.

More than 36,500 patients are diagnosed with oral cancer annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The five-year survival rate for these cancers is only about 50 percent,” the CDC says, and the earlier the cancer is detected, the higher the survival rate. In Canada, around 3,200 new oral cancer cases spring up, and more than 1,000 sufferers die of oral cancer every year.

U.S. residents can sift through events for April and beyond, including awareness walks, educational seminars, and oral cancer screenings. The Oral Cancer Foundation’s calendar lists events across the country, and you can even add your own event to the list. Americans recognize April as Oral Cancer Awareness Month.

If you’re concerned that you could have early signs of oral cancer, call our friendly Trillium Dental staff to set up an appointment today. Here, our oral cancer screenings aren’t limited to just one month.

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KANATA, ONTARIO- The established repercussions of gum disease are already gruesome, but things just got a bit nastier. According to a recent study, the bacterium found to induce gum disease is also capable of destroying the jaw bone. Interestingly, this bacterium wreaks its havoc not by damaging the jaw bone directly, but rather by enlisting atypically protective protein to do its dirty work.

The research conducted by the University of Michigan also revealed the specific bacterium responsible for gum disease. Dubbed NI1060, this bacterium turns the normally beneficial protein Nod1 traitorous, triggering destructive cells to deteriorate the jawbone. Once weakened, a damaged jaw can alter facial aesthetics and induce tooth loss, among other health conditions. Further studies are needed to explain the phenomenon, but one clear conclusion can be established- the effects of gum disease can prove devastating.

It’s not important for patients of Trillium Dental, cosmetic dentistry in Stittsville, to be well versed in scientific jargon or current with medical advances, but this news means gum disease prevention should be made a priority. Along with jaw bone deterioration, infection, inflammation, and bleeding, periodontitis (gum disease) may also cause more serious cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and even pancreatic cancer. Additionally, links to gum disease and early labor in pregnant woman have been uncovered.

The best defense against periodontal issues is through simple dental care. Destructive bacteria are spawned from accumulated plaque, so thorough brushing and flossing and the consistent use of antibacterial mouth rinse is key to keeping gums healthy and sparkling. Regular professional cleanings are also vital to remove cemented plaque in hard to reach areas of the mouth.

To help shield patient’s smiles from gum disease, Orleans dentists Dr. Bartos and Dr. Northcott offer detailed cleanings such as teeth whitening and advanced periodontal services. Laser treatments are sometimes used to rid the gums of deeply set bacteria, among other cutting-edge treatments. Trillium Dental offers oral and IV sedation to ensure a more pleasant experience when treating gum conditions. Contact Trillium Dental today to learn more about the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.