When you or a loved one receives a cancer diagnosis, oral health is likely the furthest thing from your mind. However, this systemic disease does significantly impact both your oral and whole body health. Treatments for cancer like chemotherapy and radiation can also increase risk for oral health complications. Caring for your teeth and gums in our dental office and at home can ensure your smile remains whole and healthy, but it will also help prevent an oral infection from delaying your cancer treatment. Keep reading to learn more about the impact cancer and its treatments can have on your oral health.
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Cancer, Chemotherapy, Radiation, & Your Dental Health
September 3, 2017
The Reasons for Tooth Numbering from Your Dentist in Millersville
April 30, 2016
Visiting the dentist can often be stressful or disorienting for patients, but possibly the most disorienting part of every visit is all the numbers dentists, hygienists, and assistants say to each other throughout dental checkups. This short hand is used by dentists to refer to each of the teeth quickly. At McCarl Dental Group, we use the Universal numbering system which is the American Dental Association supported method.
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McCarl Dental Group at BWMC Heartbeat for Health 2016
February 20, 2016
On Saturday, February 20th, Drs. Jay and Clayton McCarl and dental hygienist, Ashley McCarl Harrison had the opportunity to show our support for community health in Severna Park Maryland as part of the 2016 Heartbeat for Health event. This expo gave community members the opportunity to learn about their current oral health and opportunities to improve dental health. We take every opportunity to give back to our community, and Heartbeat for Health is one more way we help patients get their healthiest smiles.
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The True Consequences of Smokeless Tobacco
November 1, 2015
Smokeless tobacco goes by many names: chew, snuff, dip, and snus. It has many forms: dry, moist, ground, powdered, shredded, leaf, and plug; but a smokeless tobacco by any other name is still tobacco. These products have a long history in the US of being marketed as enhancing athletic performance, helping people quit smoking, and as a non-addictive form of tobacco. The hard truth is that all of this is false. At McCarl Dental Group, we want our patients to know the true story behind the effects of smokeless tobacco on health: Ray’s story. Watch the video within this post to hear Ray’s oral cancer survival story.
Ray’s Story
Ray is a McCarl Dental Group patient who spent a year of his life undergoing combined chemotherapy and radiation to remove a small tumor from the back of his tongue. Ray was a long time user of smokeless tobacco, and his oncologist (cancer specialist) attributes the blame for his cancer to the period in his life when he used smokeless tobacco. Some studies indicate that oral cancer caused by smokeless tobacco can have an incubation of up to ten years. However, that doesn’t mean that quitting is pointless. The damaging effects of the toxins in the body are cumulative. So, the longer patients use, the more damage is done to their oral and whole body health.
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McCarl Dental Group Shared Oral Health Tips at the Annual Greenbelt Health & Wellness Fair
October 27, 2015
McCarl Dental Group is fortunate to have an opportunity to take part in PG County community events that emphasize oral and overall health. The annual Greenbelt Health & Wellness Fair is one of our favorite events because we get to meet with members of the community and provide oral hygiene goodie bags, free dental consultations, and education on the best practices for at-home dental care. If you missed out on this year’s event, we hope to see you next year for this event dedicated to living happier, healthier lives, and we invite you to contact McCarl Dental Group to schedule a dental checkup and teeth cleaning.
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Dental Cleaning by Greenbelt Dental Hygienists
September 17, 2015
Dental cleaning Greenbelt residents prefer isn’t just about having a beautiful smile it’s about optimal oral health, and you can’t get the same results from at-home care alone. Talk to our dentists or hygienists during your next visit about the powerful positive effects of consistent dental checkups and teeth cleanings. Our Millersville, MD dental team is determined to help patients achieve and maintain optimal oral health. Both our Greenbelt and Millersville, Maryland Dental Hygienists receive 5 star reviews! Call to schedule your six month checkup and hygiene appointment today. If you have periodontal disease, you may need to have your teeth cleaned professionally more frequently than every six months. Your dental hygienist and dentist will help you with a schedule that works best for you.
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Is Smokeless Tobacco Harmful?
January 2, 2012
YES! Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States.
At McCarl Dental Group we care about your oral health and also your overall health! We recently had a question regarding a YouTube video that one of our patients requested that we post on our website. Unfortunately, this patient was diagnosed with oral cancer. Fortunately his treatment was very successful. The cancer was located at the base of the tongue beyond visible range and was not visible upon oral examination. It was diagnosed by an ear nose and throat doctor. The question asked what percentage of people who dip everyday will get mouth cancer? We researched and were not able to find those specific statistics. Here is the information we found.
Wishing you a healthy and blessed New Year!
Harmful health effects of smokeless tobacco include:
- Mouth, tongue and throat cancer
- Cancer in the esophagus
- Stomach cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke
- Addiction to nicotine
- Leukoplakia (white sores in the mouth that can become cancer)
- Receding gums (gums slowly shrink from around the teeth)
- Bone loss around the roots of the teeth
- Abrasion (scratching and wearing down) of teeth
- Tooth loss
- Stained teeth
- Bad breath
Smokeless tobacco products are a major source of cancer-causing nitrosamines and a known cause of human cancer. They increase the risk of developing cancer of the mouth and throat, esophagus and pancreas. (Source: Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts and Figures 2010)
Smokeless tobacco products are considered less lethal but are NOT a safe alternative to smoking. Use of tobacco in any form harms health and can also lead to nicotine addiction.
Results from a large American Cancer Society study showed that people who switched from cigarettes to snuff or chewing tobacco had higher death rates from heart disease, stroke, cancer of the mouth and lung, and all causes of death combined than former smokers who stopped using ALL tobacco products.
The American Cancer Society, the World Health Organization, the National Cancer Institute and the U.S. National Toxicology Program have all issued strong reports warning on the adverse health effects of smokeless tobacco.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women. (Source: Cancer Facts & Figures 2011)
Lung cancer is the most preventable form of cancer death in our society. (Source: Cancer Facts & Figures 2011)
Lung cancer estimates for 2011 (Source: Cancer Facts & Figures 2011):
New cases of lung cancer: 221,130
Males: 115,060
Females: 106,070
Deaths from lung cancer: 156,940
Males: 85,600
Females: 71,340
How often Should I have Dental Hygiene Appointments?
December 22, 2011
Greenbelt and Millersville Maryland Dental Hygienists at McCarl Dental Group
At McCarl Dental Group we recommend that all patients see one of our registered dental hygienists for routine prophylactic cleaning appointments at least every 6 months. For patients with gum disease we may recommend visits every 3-4 months. Our hygienists work with each one of our patients to ensure that they maintain optimum gum health, which means keeping their teeth healthier for years to come. With extensive training in the removal of tartar and plaque from the tooth surfaces and below the gums, dental hygienists play an active role in fighting periodontal disease.
Many people believe that if they do not have problems with their teeth, they do not need to have their teeth cleaned by a hygienist and examined by a dentist. This can mean a couple of years quickly turns into 5, 10, or even 15 before some people have another dental exam. Unfortunately, for most of these people, waiting longer between visits means unhealthy gums and sometimes very rampant tooth decay.
When plaque is missed from irregular flossing, it hardens and becomes tartar under the gumline. This contributes significantly to the destruction of gum and bone attachment levels around your teeth. Eventually this uncontrolled gum disease, correctly known as periodontal disease, can lead to tooth loss. Through routine cleaning appointments and screenings, patients can help prevent conditions including periodontal disease and advanced tooth decay.
The hygienists at McCarl Dental Group work with each individual patient to help them create an oral hygiene regimen that will work best for their own needs. Fifty percent of tooth and gum health comes from what you’re doing at home. Because every person’s mouth is different, so are his or her home care needs. What works for one person may not work for the next.
Hygienists don’t just clean teeth or check for suspicious areas of decay. They also screen for oral cancer and precancerous lesions of the mouth, head and neck. Many medical conditions and diseases of the human body first manifest themselves as symptoms that are seen in the mouth. Because people are more likely to see their hygienists for routine cleanings as opposed to annual physical exams with their doctor, many conditions are first found in the dental office. Many Dental Hygienists also offer nutritional counseling because of the vital connection between overall health and oral health.
McCarl Dental Group hygienists help promote and safeguard your overall health and wellness. If you’re behind on your dental hygienist visits, it’s better to be late than never. Contact us today to schedule your biannual cleaning appointment. You can reach our Millersville, Maryland dental office at (410) 987- 8800 or our Greenbelt, Maryland dental office at (310) 474-4144. You may also request an appointment online at www.McCarlDental.com.