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 Happy Valentines Day!  We hope that in 2012, your life is full of LOVE, and that you celebrate it every day, not just on Valentine's Day!  We'll do everything we can to help you keep your smile kissable! 

Basic Dental Knowledge

Ever hear all those dental words being thrown around and feel out of the loop? Here is a guide to common dental terms that you may need to know.

Cuspid: Your teeth that come to a point (right next to your front teeth) are called cuspids. Sometimes they are called canines as well. Teeth that come to two points are called bicuspids.

Molar: Your back teeth behind your bicuspids.

Crown: The part of your tooth above the gum. (The visible part of your tooth.)

Root: The part of your tooth in your gums.

Enamel: The hard surface of your teeth that protects the root of your tooth.

Gingivae: Another name for your gums.

Pulp: the soft inner structure of your tooth housing nerves and blood vessels.

Antiseptic: A chemical that can be applied to your mouth to destroy germs.

Aspirator: A straw like vacuum the dentist uses to suck all the saliva from your mouth.

Caries: Another name for a cavity.

Labial and Lingual: Anything having to do with your lips or tongue respectively.

Mandible: Your lower jaw

Tartar: Bacteria on your teeth than can lead to periodontal disease.

Plaque: A sticky film that can form on the surface of your teeth that can turn into tartar.

Digital X-Rays

Dental x-rays are needed when you are added as a new patient and ongoing every 6-18 months, depending on your particular needs. X-rays help us find hidden dental decay, impacted teeth, show bone loss, cysts, abscesses and more.

Our office uses digital X-rays, which have several advantages of traditional X-rays. For instance,:

• Less Radiation: Digital X-ray provide an 80% reduction in radiation
• More Comfortable for You: Biting the paper tab used in taking traditional X-rays can be uncomfortable and push up against your mouth in awkward ways. Digital X-rays work differently by putting a small sensor in your mouth connected by a thin wire to a computer. X-rays are sent out to the sensor through your teeth to capture the image. The sensor can be moved to take other images. 
• Quick Developing: Typically they are ready in as short of a time as 3 seconds.
• Magnified Images: Digital X-rays are easily displayed at larger sizes. We are even able to magnify the image to show you close up any tooth decay or abnormalities.
• Earth Friendly: Digital X-rays are electronic so they save us from needing to use chemicals or film. They also make processing insurance claims faster.

X-rays are an important part of your dental visit, because they help us diagnose problems we can’t see on the surface. Digital X-rays are just one way we are working to make your visits better.

Early Screenings for Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is cancerous tissue that develops anywhere in the mouth and is actually part of a group of cancers called throat and neck cancers.

Risk Factors for Oral Cancer
Sometimes there is no explanation as to why one person gets oral cancer and another does not, however below you will find factors that significantly increase your risk of oral cancer:

• Tobacco and Alcohol: The majority of cases of oral cancer are related to tobacco and alcohol use. Approximately 90% of people with mouth cancer are tobacco users. Smokers are 6 times more likely than nonsmokers to develop mouth cancer. Those who drink alcohol are also 6 times more likely than those that don’t drink to develop mouth cancer. Those that smoke and drink are 15 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
• Sun Exposure: Exposure to the sun can give you lip cancer, although the use of sunscreens and hats with a brim are helpful in prevention. Smoking can also increase your chances of lip cancer.
• History of throat or neck cancer: People who have had another form of throat or neck cancer are more likely to develop a second cancer in the region.
• HPV (Human Papilloma Virus): The most sexually transmitted virus in the US is now one of the primary risk factors.

Importance of Early Detection
Mouth cancers have a higher percentage of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, melanoma and cervical cancer. Overall survival rate is 50%, but survival rates within stage 1 oral cancer are 90%, thus early detection is important. Make sure you visit us regularly for check ups, especially if you have any of the risk factors.

Have a great day!

Frederick Dreher, DDS, PC