Posts Tagged ‘breast cancer’

Gum disease (known as periodontitis) is a silent disease.  It is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth.  You can’t see it.  There’s usually no pain.  Often times, you don’t even know you have it.  If left untreated, gum disease just gets worse and can compromise your oral health and your overall health.  It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs.  Research has demonstrated that as many as 3 out of 4 people will experience some form of gum disease in their lifetime. There are many reasons to take gum disease seriously.  The latest research studies tell us that gum disease may increase your risk of:

• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Osteoporosis
• Respiratory Diseases
• Delivering a preterm, low birth-weight baby
• Other serious health risks

There are many tests that help doctors predict our risk of developing certain diseases.  We routinely get our blood pressure taken to assess our risk of hypertension.  A blood pressure of higher than 120/80 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  We get our cholesterol checked to assess our risk of heart disease.  A cholesterol score of higher than 200 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  There are even genetic tests for breast and ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer that tell us if we are in an extremely high risk category for developing these cancers.  Most of us do not question the validity of these results and accept that the treatment that is recommended by our doctor is necessary to better our overall health and reduce these risks.

At our Family and Cosmetic Dental Office in Shelby Township, Michigan, we are very proud to offer every one of our patients PreViser™, a state-of-the-art, easy to understand and scientifically validated risk assessment tool for gum disease. This specialized computer software is an easy tool that you will receive at every routine hygiene therapy and oral cancer screenings appointment at no extra cost.  The PreViser™ analytic reports provide us with a Periodontal Disease Risk Score that tells us, on a scale from 1-5, the probability you have of developing gum disease in your lifetime.  It also provides us with a Periodontal Disease Score, on a scale of 1-100, which tells us how healthy you are right now.

Why is this important?  The earlier that gum disease is diagnosed the faster it can be halted it in its tracks. Gum disease affects more than just your teeth and gums.  Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. That is why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations, as well as, good oral hygiene at home are essential to help keep gum disease from becoming more serious or recurring. You don’t have to lose teeth to gum disease.

No one wants to lose teeth. No one wants to risk heart disease.  No one wants to risk diabetes.  No one wants to risk cancer.  Knowing your Oral Health Scores is the first step toward healthier teeth and gums. It allows us to chart your course to better oral health.  Remember that if caught early enough, gum disease can be reversed or prevented altogether.  Now is the time to find out if you are at risk for gum disease. There can be no greater peace of mind than knowing you are protecting your health.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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Screening for the early warning signs of oral cancer is one of the most important reasons why you should visit the dentist on a regular basis.  More than 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. This is a number which has not significantly improved in decades.  In fact, recent statistics published by the American Cancer Society indicate that while the incidence and death rates for cancers overall have decreased, both the incidence and the death rate for oral cancer have increased.  Early detection and diagnosis are essential in successful treatment of the disease.  Oral cancer is 90% curable when found in its early stages.

As your dental team, we are the front line of defense in early detection of this disease.  It is estimated that only about 50% of the US population visits the dentist every year.  Unfortunately, only about 15% of those who visit a dentist regularly, report having had an oral cancer screening. This is unfortunate and unacceptable in my opinion, when you consider that historically, the greatest strides in combating most cancers have come from increased awareness and aggressive campaigns directed at early detection.  For cervical, prostate and breast cancer, we’ve gotten used to annual screening exams — Pap smears, PSA tests and mammograms — each of which has greatly reduced death rates and increased early detection of the disease. In a similar fashion, utilizing new technologies available through our dental office, like computerized oral cancer risk assessment software, PreViser, and ViziLite Plus, an FDA-approved early detection test, could help reduce the deaths and disfigurement that can result from oral cancer. At our practice we are concerned with much more than cavities; we’re focused on total wellness, as indicated by conditions in the mouth.

Actually, it is easier to follow through with oral cancer screenings, since unlike many other cancer screening procedures, there is no invasive technique necessary to look for it, no discomfort or pain involved, and it is very inexpensive to have your mouth examined for the early signs of disease.

While most cases of oral cancer are associated with smoking and alcohol, one-quarter of all cases affect people with no risk behaviors.  There is growing evidence that HPV (human papillomavirus), a sexually transmitted virus that has long been associated with cervical cancer, is associated in nearly 10% of oral cancer cases in both men and women.  Public health experts think this may account for the growing number of oral cancers in younger people. The bottom line for everyone: See your dentist; it may save your life.  It is our goal to have 100% of our practice family screened for oral cancer on a yearly basis.  It is important to realize that a visit to our office is no longer about a filling, a crown, or “just a cleaning,” but can actually be a matter of life and death. Dental examinations, when properly done and which include a screening for oral cancer will save lives.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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