The Oral Cancer Foundation reports that in the U.S., someone dies from oral cancer every hour of every day. Pretty grim statistic, isn't it? The saddest thing is that oral cancers, meaning cancers found in the mouth, lips or throat, can frequently be cured if they are diagnosed and treated early on.

 Oral cancers, however, don't call attention to themselves, and while smokers, users of chewing tobacco, African American men and people who drink alcohol heavily are at greatest risk, anyone can develop an oral cancer.

Now, there's a way to detect oral cancers before they become readily apparent by using a device called a VELscope, recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The VELscope is non-invasive and uses a bright blue light to call attention to any changes in the mouth that a dentist or hygienist could not see with normal vision.

The Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year, and that only half of those so diagnosed will still be alive five years from now. The problem is much larger worldwide, but even with these statistics, the experts agree that early diagnosis increases the five-year survival rate by nearly one third, meaning that close to 80% of those who receive early diagnosis and treatment will survive. 

By all means, talk to your dentist about examination using a VELscope. It just might save your life!
 

Flossing is especially important when you're wearing braces because braces can trap tiny food particles and contribute to dental cavities and gum disease.  However, flossing does require more care when you're wearing braces, too.

After thoroughly brushing your teeth using a soft regular brush and rinsing your mouth with a fluoride rinse or plain water, feed the short end of the floss through the space between the main arch wire of the brace and the upper part of the tooth closest to the gum. Then, use a gentle back and forth sawing motion to work the floss on each side of the two teeth the floss is between, taking special care not to pull with too much force around the arch wire.

Flossing is an important component of dental health and a necessity for getting and keeping a bright, white healthy smile. It's harder to do when you're wearing braces, no doubt about it.   But when your teeth are straight and those braces can come off, you'll see that the results were more than worth the time and effort expended!

The way to prevent gum disease is to eat right, brush and floss at least twice a day, see your dentist at least twice a year for dental checkups and professional teeth cleanings, and don't smoke, drink to excess or do anything else that would impair your general health.

In other words, having a healthy mouth means practicing a healthful lifestyle, because you just can't separate your dental health from your overall health! In fact, some studies point to the concept that underlying health problems can actually cause gum disease when they occur and proper preventive dental health measures are not taken.

In fact, as more research studies are done, more indicators appear that link poor dental health to heart disease, cancer and other bodily ills, which provide additional reasons for keeping your teeth scrupulously clean by brushing and flossing at least twice a day and seeing your dentist for a professional teeth cleaning and evaluation of your dental state at least twice a year.

So, to take great care of your gums and prevent gum disease, take great care of your body as well as your teeth!

Did you know that nearly 70% of U.S. children begin receiving dental care two years later than pediatric dental experts recommend? Most children first visit the family dentist after their third birthday has passed, but dental experts advise that a child's initial visit take place no later than a year after birth, and preferably when the first tooth appears.

Young children should be taught how to brush their teeth as early as possible, and to use no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste while doing so, experts say.  Many kids like to lay on lots of paste because they enjoy squeezing the toothpaste tube.  But too much paste actually interferes with the cleansing action of brushing, so be careful to monitor the amount your child is using.

Additional pediatric dental advisories include ensuring that  children are using a toothbrush specifically designed for a child's mouth and gripping ability and have regularly scheduled dental visits (on average, every six months), beginning when the first tooth appears, but not later than 12 months of age.

Visiting the dentist causes many people to feel anxious and upset.  For some folks, the mere thought of going to the dentist distresses them so much they try to put off their routine dental exams.  When you experience open communication with your dentist, it relieves these feelings and makes you feel better about visiting the dental office and taking care of your teeth.

With so many dentists to choose from, why not select a dentist that you feel comfortable talking to?  Your dentist should be available and accessible to meet your needs and answer your questions.  Often knowledge is power and when your dentist explains what is going on, you feel much better about it and are ready to deal with the next steps.

When your dentist is uncommunicative, it can make you feel even more uncomfortable about having dental work done and you may keep putting it off until more serious problems develop.  A dentist who takes the time to discuss your teeth with you will make you feel more comfortable about returning to have necessary dental procedures performed.

The dental industry is constantly growing, changing and implementing new techniques. Having a dentist explains these developments to you allows you to make educated decisions about your treatment.  If your dentist fails to go over new options, you remain in the dark about what is available to help you.

Choosing a dentist who talks to you openly will encourage you to return to the dental office for routine checkups because you will feel more comfortable.  The result is increased oral hygiene and more attractive teeth!

Acidic foods can cause a plethora of dental problems because acid slowly eats away at the enamel on the surface of your teeth, ultimately causing decay and additional dental difficulties.  While most people are aware of the dangers eating sugar presents to your teeth, it seems that less folks know how to handle consumption of acidic foods.

Many highly acidic foods are also nutritious elements of our everyday diet, so it is important to be aware of some of the common foods that cause increase the level of acid in our mouths, including  blueberries, cherries, cranberries, grapes, lemons, limes, pineapples, strawberries, fruit jellies, pickles, salad dressings, yogurt, American cheese, cottage cheese, apples, bananas, apple juice, energy drinks and soda.

Problems caused by excessive acid in your mouth include wear and tear of tooth enamel, resulting tooth decay, yellowing or discoloration and tooth sensitivity. 

In order to minimize the acid in your mouth, it is important to brush and floss your teeth.  However, unlike when you sugary foods, after acidic foods you need to wait at least an hour before brushing your teeth because your tooth enamel remains soft.  You can actually cause additional wear and tear to your tooth enamel by immediately brushing after acidic foods.

Be aware of your consumption of acidic foods so you can brush properly afterwards and try to avoid unnecessary acidic foods such as soda.  By minimizing the impact of acidic foods on your teeth, you can decrease the possibility of tooth decay.

A free soft tissue graft is a tissue graft made by taking tissue from the roof of a patient's mouth to the area where the patient's gums have receded. Soft tissue grafts help the teeth to stay in place and protects the tooth roots from damage and future decay.

Soft tissue grafts can be used to cover roots or develop gum tissue where absent due to excessive gum recession. During this procedure, your periodontist takes gum tissue from your palate or from another donor source to cover the exposed root. A soft tissue graft  can be done for the benefit of one tooth or several teeth. Soft tissue grafts even your gum line and reduce tooth sensitivity as well.

Soft tissue grafts are also used for aesthetic reasons, to make teeth that are too long appear visibly shorter teeth. 

However, only a trained specialist can determine whether a soft tissue graft is the best procedure for you. So if you have receding gums or believe that your teeth would look better if they also looked shorter, by all means schedule a consultation with your dentist today.

If you are concerned about paying for your family's dental care, be aware that are are financing options available to help you meet unexpected dental expenses.

There are several finance companies that specialize in offering loans for dental work, such as CareCredit and Capital One.  You can have your dentist's office apply for financing on your behalf and submit the application or you can apply yourself over the telephone or online.  Either way, you will usually know right away how much financing is available to you so you can start dental work immediately.

If you have credit problems and feel financing may be a problem, you can always have someone co-apply.  Your spouse or your parents may be able to assist you by applying with your for the financing you need to complete necessary dental work for your family. 

If all else fails, many dentists are willing to negotiate a payment plan with their patients.  For patients who have exhausted their available funds and who may not qualify for financing, there are a number of dentists will will work out a realistic payment plan to complete dental work.  Some dentists break a procedures into three visits so you can pay a portion of the bill at each appointment while others arrange for personal financing.

Don't let money stand in your way of better smiles for yourself and your family.  Explore dental financing options so you can take care of teeth right away.

If your kids are wearing braces, congratulations – you have already done something terrific for their teeth.  However, while your children wear braces you need to ensure they are taking proper care of their teeth so they look great when the braces are removed.

Good oral hygiene is essential with braces because food particles and plaque can get caught in the small spaces in between braces and wires, causing tooth decay and stains on the tooth enamel.  Food may also react to bacteria in your child's mouth and the metal braces causing a bleaching effect that create small light spots.  Because of all this, it is necessary to have clean teeth and braces at all times.

Children should brush after every  meal.  You may want to give your child a small portable toothbrush to use at school and after school activities to keep their teeth and braces as clean as possible.  A floss threader or special orthodontic floss can be used daily to clean between the braces and under wiring.  When your child does not have a toothbrush, advise them to vigorously rinse their mouth out with water after eating to get rid of food particles.

You should also advise kids with braces to avoid soda and sugary snacks that promote tooth decay.  Sticky foods such as chewing gum, dried fruits, caramel and taffy are completely off limits because they can get stuck on braces and become difficult to remove.  Healthy snacks that are hard to chew, like apples and carrots, should be cut up before eating to avoid damaging wires.

With a bit of extra care and attention, your kids' teeth will look much better after braces with no telltale signs of decay.

You may have received glowing recommendations for the new dentist you're about to visit for the first time, but you should not let that stop you from asking questions and getting the answers you need.  After all, it's your mouth we're talking about here!

Among the information your dentist should readily provide to you on your first visit are answers to these questions:

• How long have you been practicing dentistry? What are your dental practice specialties?
• Will you be available to me if I have a dental emergency?
• Is this your dental practice or does someone else own it?
• Will you wear magnification when you work on my teeth?
• How many hours of continuing education do you do each year, and do can you document these?
• Do you have before and after photographs of your cosmetic dental work, and if so, may I see them? What dental laboratories do you use?
• What insurances do you accept? Do you do in-house financing?
• Have you ever had an administrative action taken against you or a lawsuit filed against you that involved dental work you performed?
• Can you give me the names of three patients for whom you have done serious cosmetic work who would be willing to talk with me about you?

Getting answers to these questions and any others you may have during your first visit is important for both you and your dentist. So don't feel nervous—go ahead and ask!