Oral cancer is cancer of the mouth and most commonly involves the lips or the tongue. It may also occur on the gums, roof of the mouth, under the tongue or lining of cheeks.

If the cancer is found early, before it can spread to other tissues, the survival rate is 90%. However, more than half of oral cancers have spread by the time the cancer is found, most spreading to the throat or neck.

Oral cancer tends to spread quickly. Treating oral cancer early, when tumors are small, may require surgical removal only. For larger tumors, surgery may be combined with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Surgery is not commonly done if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck.

About 1 in 4 with oral cancer die because of delayed diagnosis and treatment complications. Approximately half of patients with oral cancer will live more than 5 years after diagnosis and treatment. Treatment can leave the survivor with disfigurement of the face and/or neck, speech problems, and difficulty chewing and swallowing.

Some oral cancers begin as a white sore or spot. While smoking and other tobacco use are linked to most cases of oral cancer, heavy alcohol use also increases its risk. Men over the age of 40 have a higher risk than women. Other risk factors are the HPV virus, poor oral hygiene, chronic irritation, or medications that weaken the immune system.

Early symptoms of oral cancer include a sore, lump, or ulcer in the mouth. You may also experience pain with swallowing, speech difficulties, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and weight loss.

If you have a sore in your mouth or lip or a lump in the neck that does not go away within 2 weeks, you should be seen in our office immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer greatly increases the chances of survival. Call us at 828-274-9440 so we can catch problems at the earliest possible stage.

Occasionally, we have a Dental Implant patient who does not want to “be put to sleep” during treatment.

In our office, we use oral sedation. In pill form, no needles are used to administer the medication and the recovery is quick. Oral sedation enables patients to feel refreshed rather than the ‘spaced out’ feeling that I.V. sedation (or ‘twilight sleep’) can leave, although it does have an amnesiac effect. Some patients tell us they remember hearing  voices, but most have no memory of the procedure at all.

While the amnesiac effect is an appealing advantage of sedation, sedation helps patients be more relaxed. Since many implant placement procedures require over an hour’s time in the treatment chair, sedation helps to eliminate after-treatment fatigue from muscle tension.

In addition to sedation, we apply numbing medications to the area being treated to create optimal comfort for patients. We never want any procedure we perform to be painful at any time, regardless of the addition of sedation.

We treat all patients with respect and a gentle touch. We are just as committed to comfort for patients who do not want to be sedated as we are for those who are. Our goal is to help each person achieve a restored mouth that is healthy. If we can accommodate specific requests, such as treatment without sedation, then we will do what will provide the safest, most comfortable and successful outcome.

There will never be a substitute for regular tooth brushing and flossing to help avoid developing periodontal (gum) disease.  Combined with regular dental check-ups, having a thorough home care commitment is paramount in avoiding bacterial build-up. However, because people are more susceptible to oral issues, here are ways to bolster your time at the sink.

• Eat a well-balanced diet. Some foods can promote healthy teeth and gums, particularly those that contain Vitamin D, Omega-3 and Calcium. These have been shown to help in reducing the risk for periodontal disease.

• If you smoke, you should know … Smoking is very drying to tissues in the mouth, which increases your risk for periodontal disease. A dry mouth is a major contributor to developing periodontal disease!

• Stay in shape! Studies show that people who are at a healthy weight and are physically fit have a lower risk for periodontal disease than those who are sedentary.

• Keep stress levels low. Stress has been found to contribute to a number of health problems, including gum disease. Research shows that stress increases cortisol, which can intensify bacterial damage to the gums and bones that support teeth. Another study revealed that stressed out people are more likely to neglect their oral hygiene.

• Be committed to annual physicals. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease. It has been associated with  diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and much more. Annual screening for systemic disease can enable you to have early treatment, and in turn, benefit your periodontal health.

Periodontal disease, if untreated, can lead to tooth loss and cause problems with other systems of the body. Because your periodontal health has been shown to correlate to overall health, keeping both your oral health and overall health in good condition will keep you smiling, from head to toe!

Very few of my patients are wealthy. Most of them are on careful budgets and watch their expenses carefully. Yet, the ones who truly understand the value of a healthy smile and ability to chew comfortably also understand that insurance is not watching out for their long-term well-being. These are typically the patients with healthy, worry-free smiles who have made decisions based on what is in THEIR best interest rather than what their insurance company approves or allows in a given year.

Although some dental needs can reach quite a high amount, our patients know we will help them every way possible. In addition to providing insurance filing, we offer several payment options. Some of these require no down payment and no interest when payments are completed in a set period of time. Some are even tax deductible.

Additionally, we are happy to structure your treatment in segments so expenses are paced in an affordable sequence. We’ve worked with some patients who’ve combined their Health Savings Account with a credit card. Some have opted for treatment based on their ability to use funds from a second mortgage.

When people understand the total health benefits of a healthy mouth and the ability to chew comfortably, achieving their goal is no longer an issue of money. As one patient put it, “I have to spend money on essentials, but I choose to invest in things that are even more important. I can’t think of anything in my mouth that isn’t worth investing in.”

Let us know if you would like to discuss financial options so you, too, can achieve the oral health and confident smile you deserve.