Oral cancer is cancer that develops in any part of the mouth – including the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx. If undiagnosed and left untreated, oral cancer can be life-threatening.
Symptoms of oral cancer can mimic many less-serious conditions, so its always best to get checked out if you have any of the following:
- Pain particularly in the ear, mouth, or face
- Painful swallowing
- Ulcers
- Mouth sores that will not heal
- Bleeding in your mouth
- Bad Breath
- Red and white plaques in mouth
- Enlarged neck lymph nodes
- A cough that will not go away
- Teeth that become loose not as the result of impact/trauma
Mouth cancer patients will most often see a specialist such as oncologists or otolaryngologists for treatment.
The good news is that oral cancer is highly preventable:
- Don’t use tobacco in any form
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Reduce/minimize sub exposure
- Always use lap balm with SPF 30 or higher
- Eat a diet full of fruits and vegetables
Keeping your regular 6-month dental checkups is a great way to ensure healthy teeth, but also to look after your overall oral health. Dentist visits are a first-line of defense in working with you to look at anything that may be troublesome or indicate you have a condition, such as oral cancer, that needs treatment by a specialist.
Early detection can result in better treatment outcomes … so just another reason to get into the dentist!
To make an appointment for an oral cancer screening, or to discuss any of your dental concerns or questions, email us at info@lifestyledental.co.uk, or call us on 01772 717316.
What Makes You A Candidate For A Same Day Dental Implant?
If you have ever considered having a dental implant treatment done, you must’ve had doubts about it. This is probably because you never connected with a reputed dentist in Preston who could educate you about the same. Don’t wait for any more of your teeth to fall out.
One option that stops this recurring nightmare from coming true is a dental implant treatment. This is a procedure carried on by your Preston dentist and he will do it within a day if you want it that way. Yes, your oral surgeon or periodontist is capable of delivering same day implants as well but there are certain requirements for the procedure to be successful. For the immediate dental placement to be completely successful the patient’s screening process has to be extremely thorough. The ideal candidate would be someone who is in great dental and good general health and should avoid the following habits as they can negatively affect dental implants:
• Smoking
• Drugs the intake of which increases the risk of bone death or deterioration after surgery
• Bruxism or grinding of the teeth and clenching
Patients who choose same day implants should also be committed to regular maintenance of their teeth and good oral hygiene. If you have enough bone density, quantity and quality then you are the ideal candidate for immediate dental implants placement and loading. This is due to the fact that the anticipated initial implant stability is important and your Preston dentist will assume bone density, quantity and quality to be helpful in it.
What Makes You A Candidate For Invisalign?
Well, to put things in perspective here Invisalign treatment is for anyone who wants to look good without having to compromise on their smile. So yes, you are a candidate for it if you want to look your natural best. This is simply the process of wearing wires to straighten your teeth. The biggest difference here is that it is not a series of metal but clear plastic, removable aligners. These too work just like their metallic counterparts and gradually straighten your teeth over time. Yes, and that makes a lot of difference in your appearance to be exact. There are no brackets or wires, and none of the usual restrictions that you are warned against in case of metal braces. The best part is that Invisalign treatment is a great solution for kids, adults and teenagers looking for a practically invisible technique to improve their smile.
Are your teeth not as bright as they once were? There are many reasons that cause the ‘whiteness’ of your teeth to dull and discolor.
Eating dark-colored and/or acidic food and drink, tobacco use, aging, trauma, and medications are just some ways your teeth can become discolored over time.
It surprises many people to learn how much damage beverages, especially soda, can cause to your teeth. Check out this video from BuzzFeed:
Do you think you’ll drink less soda after watching that video?!
If you suffer from discolored teeth, you may be interested in considering teeth whitening – The best way to begin teeth whitening is to visit the expert first – your personal dentist! Your dentist knows the condition of your oral health, your sensitivities, and can customize a teeth whitening regime that is just right for you!
To make an appointment for teeth-whitening, or to discuss any of your dental concerns or questions, email us at info@lifestyledental.co.uk, or call us on 01772 717316.
Why not pull a baby tooth instead of getting a “baby root canal”? This is a common question from parent’s who have children with a baby tooth needing a pulpotomy, commonly called a “baby root canal.” Parents wonder why, if the tooth is not permanent and will come out anyway, why do a root canal when the tooth can simply be extracted.
This is a great question!
In children, damage to the tooth’s pulp can be caused by traumatic injury or tooth decay. Sometimes, even, cavities can form behind fillings causing deep decay in your child’s teeth.
A pediatric “baby root canal”, or pulpotomy, is a common recommended treatment for children with pulp damage rather than extraction of the affected tooth. Extraction can cause other problems that impact the development of the adjacent teeth and can cause complications when the permanent tooth is ready to grow in.
Common symptoms of damaged pulp include:
- Tooth pain
- Temperature sensitivity when eating
- Swelling and redness
- Unexpected loose tooth
- Cracked, separated, or otherwise damaged filling
It is best for your child’s oral health and permanent tooth development to save and keep intact baby teeth.
To make an appointment for teeth-whitening, or to discuss any of your dental concerns or questions, email us at info@lifestyledental.co.uk , or call us on 01772 717316.
Teeth whitening is the top requested cosmetic service today. So, what causes our teeth to become, well, not-so-white – and what can you do about it?
First, let’s take a minute to understand tooth discoloration. Teeth can become discolored due staining on the outer surface, or by changes that happen from within the tooth.
- Extrinsic – this is staining of your outer tooth enamel
- Intrinsic – this is a darkening of the dentin from within your tooth. Intrinsic discoloration happens when your tooth is forming and causes include treatment with tetracycline antibiotics and excess fluoride consumption. Additionally, intrinsic discoloration can occur as a result of a tooth injury.
If you have teeth discoloration and are looking for teeth whitening options, it is important to understand the kind of discoloration you have. Many extrinsic stains can be removed with regular visits to your dentist for professional cleanings and diligence with at home oral hygiene.
If your teeth are darkened/stained intrinsically then treatment to the outside of your teeth generally will not be effective. However, your dentist can apply a bleaching material to the inside of your tooth, or in some cases it may be advisable to consider a crown or veneer.
In the vast majority of cases, teeth whitening can be achieved by practicing diligence in your oral hygiene routine at home, regular visits to your dentist, and at-home use of a bleaching gel provided by your dentist. Your dentist can custom-fit a mouth guard that fits comfortably for at-home use and prescribe bleaching gel that has maximum effectiveness that is safe for your personal needs.
The best way to begin teeth whitening is to visit the expert first – your personal dentist! Your dentist knows the condition of your oral health, your sensitivities, and can customize a teeth whitening regime that is just right for you!
To make an appointment for teeth-whitening, or to discuss any of your dental concerns or questions, email us at info@lifestyledental.co.uk , or call us on 01772 717316.
