Early Detection of Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer is considered as the sixth most common form of cancer with 30,000 newly diagnosed cases each year and causing 8,000 deaths every year. If not detected and treated in earlier stages, oral cancer spreads and leads to chronic pain, functional loss, disfigurement of face and mouth and even death.

What is Oral or Mouth Cancer?

Uncounted growth of cells causing damage to the surrounding tissues is known Cancer. Oral cancer seems as a sore or growth in the mouth that does not go away. It includes cancers of tongue, cheeks, floor of mouth, soft and hard palate, sinuses and pharynx. If not detected early, it may also lead to death.

What are warning signs of Oral Cancer?

Along with going to the dentist regularly, you should also perform self examinations to detect the early warning signs. If any of the following signs come into vie; contact your dentist immediately

• Sore lasting more than two weeks
• Lumps , growth or inflammation in or near your mouth and lips
• White or red patches in your mouth or on your lips
• Frequent bleeding from throat or mouth
• Difficulty in swallowing, chewing or speaking
• Unexplained numbness or loss of feeling in any area of face, mouth or neck
• Pain or tenderness in any area of face, mouth or neck
• Recurrent sores on neck or face or in the mouth that bleed easily and lasting more than two weeks.
• Chronic sore throat, hoarseness or change in voice
• A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together
• Sudden weight loss

Who are at the greater risk of developing Oral Cancer?

Men are at the higher risk of developing Oral Cancer as compared to women. The risk of developing Oral Cancer is greater in the individual who:

• Smoke cigarette, pipe or cigar
• Use dip, snuff or chew tobacco products
• Drink alcohol
• Are over the age of 40
• Are exposed to sun
• Take diet low in fruits and vegetables

What can you do to detect Oral Cancer at earlier stage?

To detect Oral Cancer at early stage, ask your dentist for a routine oral exam, whenever you visit him. You can also perform self-examination to check any early signs of disease:

• Look and feel your lips and front of your gums, using a mirror and bright light
• Look and feel the roof of your mouth by tilting your head back
• View the inside of your mouth, lining of your cheeks & back gums
• Look at the surface of your tongue and floor of the mouth
• Feel both the sides of neck and under your lower jaw for lumps and enlarged lymph nodes.
• If your dentist find any tissue in your mouth that looks suspicious, he can perform brush biopsy
• Your dentist may take a small sample of the tissue for analyzing any abnormal cells
• Your dentist may advice Scalpel Biopsy
• If your cancer is diagnosed, your dentist can advice more tests including; X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, Endoscopies and PT Scans

Oral Cancer, if caught early enough, is a treatable condition with wide spectrum of therapies available. To diagnose this disease early, regular dental visits and check-ups would be highly beneficial and helpful.

Contact Aesthetic Dental Arts, York PA for the skilled and state-of-art diagnosis and treatment of any of the dental problems & diseases. Our certified and professional dentist uses leading-edge and minimally invasive techniques and technologies to make your smile as beautiful as bright forever.

Gum Diseases

What are the potential signs and symptoms of Gum Disease?

Gum disease is the inflammation of soft tissue or gum around the teeth, which if left untreated can affect the bone which supports and surrounds your teeth. As the symptoms of gum disease start appearing in the advanced stage, it lies in the category of silent disease. This disease begins with the growth of bacteria in your mouth and may end with tooth loss, if not properly treated. Whether your gum disease will stop or get worse, depends largely upon how you take care of your teeth.

People usually start showing the signs of gum disease by the age of 30 or 40. Men are more prone to gum disease than women. There are the chances of developing gum disease in teenagers too but it appears in its milder form.

What are the potential signs and symptoms of gum disease?

Gum Disease may start developing slowly and painlessly but it shows few obvious signs including:

• Gum bleeding; during and after brushing
• Swollen, red or tender gums or some other pain in the mouth.
• Receding or pulling-away gums that make your teeth look even longer.
• Continuous bad breath or bad taste
• Bleeding while flossing or eating hard food.
• Loose or separating teeth.
• Mucus between gums and teeth
• Deep pockets between gums and teeth.
• Change in the way teeth fit together while biting
• Change in the fit of partial dentures

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult your dentist immediately, as these symptoms if not treated properly may lead to periodontists.

 Contact Aesthetic Dental Arts, York PA, for any of your dental problems. Our professional and diligent dentist makes use of leading-edge technologies and minimally invasive techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases.

Tooth Colored Restorations

What do we mean by Tooth Colored Restoration?

Tooth Colored Restoration, most commonly referred to as White Fillings or Composites, is a metal-free dental restorative material which is safe, predictable and natural-looking. Dentists use this material to restore functionality and integrity to the missing tooth structure that in turn improvises your overall dental health including bite, strength and appearance of your smile.

Why is Tooth Colored Restoration is more preferable?

Tooth Colored Restoration is more preferable over the metal fillings because of its numerous benefits including the following:

• Tooth Colored Restoration does not harmfully affect the overall health of the patients. They are made of ceramic composites and do not contain harmful metals like mercury, as was used in the past.
• Tooth colored fillings are similar to the color of your natural teeth that make them virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
• Amalgam fillings assume dark colors or get pigmented but the tooth colored fillings keep your teeth free from stark dark spots and make your smile pristine and confident.
• Tooth colored fillings get bonded to your tooth and prevent further fractures.
• These fillings are made from strong bonding materials that can be shaped according to the requirements of the tooth.
• These composites can be used for back and front teeth alike, without compromising aesthetics.
• Tooth Colored fillings unlike metal fillings, do not wrap due to temperature fluctuations.
• Minimal amount of damaged tooth is removed for the placing tooth colored fillings that further strengthens tooth and minimizes the chances of future breakage.
• The resin used in tooth colored fillings contains fluoride that checks the tooth decay.
•  These fillings minimize the sensitivity to hot and cold temperature and as well strengthen the structurally weakened teeth.
• The Tooth Colored fillings are ideal for filling new cavities, replacing conventional amalgam fillings, repairing chipped teeth and to remove the gap between the teeth.

At Aesthetic Dental Arts, our professional and highly skilled dentists use leading–edge technologies and materials in order to provide you the comfort and care with great aesthetic and natural looking results. We work closely with you to keep you well-informed about your treatment options.