Month: April 2019

Cancer is a fatal disease, it promotes uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral cancer is a cancer that gets formed in the mouth and appears as a suspicious growth of tissue or sore that does not wane away but gets enlarged with time.

Certain factors that may cause oral cancer are:

• Tobacco used in any form, be it cigarettes, cigars, pipes or chewing it
• Heavy alcohol abuse
• Previous oral cancer diagnosis
• Significant exposure to sun, which increases the risk of lip cancer

Why its screening is important?
Oral cancer screening can be explained as a visual and physical exam of the oral cavity and its connected tissues. It can reassure a patient that there are no apparent lesions or other problems that give signs of cancer.

Cancer or for that matter any deadly disease can be invoked in our body without being summoned from our side. Many times it is seen that such diseases are diagnosed when we least expect them. Thus, regular screening of the mouth enables the doctor or a dentist in case of oral cancer to look for signs of cancer or precancerous conditions.

Early detection is half the battle won. It is often seen that cancer in any part of the body is detected way too late for any effective treatment to be availed. The possibility or chances of cure wanes out with the advancement of the stage of cancer. Thus, chronology of detection is of pristine importance here.

Most dentists examine your mouth as a matter of precaution during your routine dental visits to screen out possibilities of oral cancer. Some dentists may perform additional tests to locate areas of abnormal cell growth in your mouth.

Medical organizations are divided on their opinion on whether healthy people without inherent risk factors for mouth cancer require oral cancer screening. As a matter of fact, oral exams or oral cancer screening tests have not proven to have reduced the number of cases where people die of oral cancer.

Oral screening have some limitations though, such as:

• Oral cancer screening often lead to additional tests. Many people who report sores in their mouths, are often found to have non-cancerous sores. An oral exam is unable determine completely which sores are cancerous and which are not.
• If your dentist finds an unusual sore, he may advise you to go through further testing to determine its cause. Biopsy is the only way to definitively determine whether you are suffering from oral cancer or not. Under biopsy some tissue from the lesion is removed and studied under the microscope to determine whether it contains cancerous cells.
• It is not easy to detect areas of abnormal cells just by looking at your mouth, so it’s possible that a small cancer or a precancerous lesion may go undetected.
• Oral cancer screening hasn’t proved to be a potent measure to save lives. No evidence supports that routine oral examinations for detection of signs of oral cancer have reduced the number of deaths caused by oral cancer. However, screening for oral cancer may detect early cancers — when cure is more likely.

How is such screening done?

1. Visual Exam: The face, neck, lips, inside of the nose and oral cavity are all examined for oral cancer. Before the screening, the patient is asked to take out all removable dental appliances like dentures so that every place inside the mouth is properly exposed for the doctor’s ease.As per the guidelines of Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF), a doctor or dentist looks for swellings, asymmetries, bumps, ulcerations, patches of color or other abnormalities. To have a sneak peak inside the nose and mouth, the doctor or dentist uses a light torch and mirror to see things clearly. A tongue depressor is used to hold down the tongue and examine at the back of the mouth. The patient may be asked to open his/her mouth as wide as possible so that areas in the throat that are otherwise difficult to see are properly examinable. These days a dentist can even float a nano-camera attached to a string down your throat to get pictures of the insides for better clarity of the case.
2. Physical Exam: The visual exam is complemented by a physical exam wherein, the dentist also touches the inside of the oral cavity like cheeks, places around the jaw, under the chin etc for unusual growth formations or lesions. An important sign of a potential threat is immobility in otherwise mobile tissue, and the patient is asked whether physical contact at such places causes any pain or discomfort. Oral cancer is generally painful, but a painless swelling can still indicate a sign of problems elsewhere. As per the OCF, the patient might also be asked to swallow while the throat is under examination.
3. Additional tests for oral cancer screening: Some dentists use special tests in addition to the visual and physical exams to screen for oral cancer. It’s not clear if these tests offer any additional benefit over the conventional exams though.

Special oral cancer screening tests may involve:

• Rinsing the oral cavity with a special blue dye before an exam. Abnormal cells in the mouth may absorb the dye and appear blue.
• Throwing light in your mouth which makes healthy tissue appear dark and abnormal tissue will appear white.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

Dentures are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth.

Whether you are considering getting dentures, already have them, or know someone with them, it’s very likely that you may have some questions about them. What follows is information on what dentures really are, what kind of care they require, and how dentures can improve your oral health. We hope to help you find the answers to all your denture queries and to find out, if necessary, whether dentures might be right for you.

What are dentures?
Dentures are artificial teeth and gums that are formed to your mouth and created by your dentists to replace lost or removed natural teeth. Dentures can either be full or partial, meaning they can either replace all teeth on either the top or bottom gum line, or just a few that are missing. Regardless of what kind of dentures you may need, they will be custom designed to fit your mouth, and visually matched to your existing teeth.

What are they made out of?
In the past, the artificial teeth that make up dentures were made out of porcelain or plastic, but more modern dentures are generally made out of a hard resin. The materials used to make denture teeth are known to be more fragile than natural teeth and can easily chip or crack if dropped or otherwise uncared for. This material also wears down much quicker than natural teeth and thus must be replaced with a new set of dentures every five years or so.

The supporting structure of dentures that holds the artificial teeth in place and resembles the natural gum line is often made out of a similar resin used for the teeth, or a more flexible polymer material that fits snugly on the natural gum line.

Why wear dentures?
Dentures not only improve the appearance of a smile that has multiple missing teeth, but they also keep the structure of the mouth sound by supporting the structures around the cheeks and lips. Dentures also make it possible to eat foods that require chewing, making it possible to keep your diet the same and ensure that you are properly nourished. Lastly, dentures are a viable solution to replace teeth that are causing serious pain and oral health issues, such as those with rotted roots or severe damage. Having dentures fitted means that troublesome teeth are eliminated and replaced with a strong and beautiful alternative.

Partial dentures
Partial dentures are often used instead of other tooth replacement methods when the surrounding natural teeth are not strong enough to support structures such as dental bridges, or when more than one or two teeth are missing.

Classic partial dentures
The partial dentures are fitted to the part of the gum line that they will sit on, and fasten to nearby natural teeth to keep from falling out of place. They are not permanently fastened, however, and can be easily taken out at any time for cleaning and while sleeping.

Full dentures
Full dentures, otherwise known as complete dentures, are dentures that replace all of your natural teeth. You can have them fitted for your top or bottom gum line, and are held in place by suction and/or the help of an oral adhesive. Just like partial dentures, they are easily removable

Immediate dentures and overdentures
There are some other kinds of full and partial dentures that differ from traditional permanent dentures including a type called immediate dentures. These dentures are created before the teeth that are being replaced with dentures have been removed and are used immediately after tooth extraction and during the healing process, which can be up to six months long. These dentures can be more easily refitted than permanent dentures to accommodate for mouth changes as the swelling in the gums and jaw subsides while healing. The immediate dentures will be disposed of once the healing process is complete and your mouth is ready for permanent dentures.

Overdentures are an alternative that can be used if traditional dentures prove to be extremely uncomfortable or if you have a few natural teeth left. Overdentures are fitted over the roots of natural teeth and either rest on these or on dental implants, if there are no natural teeth to fit over. Some find this type of denture more comfortable and they are also easily removable.

Implant-supported dentures
As the name seems to imply, these are dentures which are anchored by dental implants. A dental implant is a permanent fixture that is anchored to the jawbone and can be used to replace any number of teeth. They’re comprised of the implant itself, a metal post (usually titanium), and a custom crown which looks just like a natural tooth.

Implant-supported dentures have a couple of different ways in which they can attach, but should be cared for and treated like traditional dentures. It’s more common to have them done on the lower jaw since the upper has fewer problems with fitting securely, but plenty of people have implants on both.

How to clean dentures
Regardless of what kind of dentures you may have, all dentures need to be cleaned daily, just like regular teeth. Even though dentures are made up of artificial teeth, bacteria, plaque, and tartar still build up on them and can harm existing teeth and gums.

To clean your dentures, take them out of your mouth and run clean water over them to dislodge any food particles that may be stuck between teeth, along the gum line, or underneath the structure. Then brush the dentures all over with a denture brush or very soft toothbrush using a mild soap or denture cleaner. Be sure not to use any other cleaners, regular toothpaste, or electric toothbrushes as these are all too abrasive and can damage and wear away the denture materials. After cleaning, make sure to rinse them well.

While your dentures are out of your mouth, be sure to clean your gums and any natural teeth with a very soft and wet toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste if needed. If your toothbrush is too harsh, wrap your finger in a wet, soft washcloth and gently rub your gums, making sure to cover all surfaces.

Preserving your dentures
Always remove your dentures before sleeping to avoid damaging them, dislodging them, and to give your gums some time to relax. Submerge your dentures fully in warm, but not hot, water to keep them from drying out and becoming misshapen. Only use denture soaking solution if your dentures do not have metal components as the solution can tarnish the metal.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.