Oral cancer is a disease as common as leukemia, kills twice as many people each year as those with cervical cancer and whose fastest growing population involves non-smokers, women and younger people.

The general assumption is that oral cancer has to do with HPV.  The problem with that, says Mark Rutenberg, CEO of CDx Diagnostics in New York, is that in the patients they’re seeing, the spots that appear on the side of the tongue or the side of the cheek are HPV negative.  Those found in the back of the throat, however, do have an HPV link.  So, there is a mystery as to what’s causing the rise in this population, says Rutenberg.

Oral cancer is preventable because every oral cancer starts as a small red or white area in the mouth and it can be removed.  The problem, says Rutenberg, is we all have small red or white spots in our mouths at one time or another and until oral CDx came along, there was no good way to know which spots were or weren’t precancerous.  This was a particular problem for dentists, he says, because if they saw a spot, there was only a 3-4% chance that spot was a problem.  Therefore, they tended to wait until it looked more suspicious and then it would be too late for effective treatment.

It’s now easy to rule out that 3% chance with CDx diagnostics and the best news, Rutenberg says, is there’s enough time between when the spot is detected and when the cells become dangerous – usually several years.

Rutenberg says to think of CDx as the pap smear of the mouth, which catches cancers before they start.  Dentists or hygienists take a brush and press and rotate about 10 times on the spot, which is not uncomfortable for the patient.  The cells taken are put on a slide, which is then sent to their lab, where advanced computers scan the slides for precancerous cells.  After being read by a pathologist, the results are sent to the dentist.

For more information on CDx Diagnostics, go here.  Mark Rutenberg spoke with Dentist News Network, providing online, on-demand dental video content.

In certain diseases that have an inflammatory component, such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, if gum disease is treated regularly, the medical costs and hospitalizations are lowered.  Professor Marjorie Jeffcoat of University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine says that gum disease is an infection and when there is an infection in the body, it makes all other diseases worse.

Professor Jeffcoat conducted a study of over 1 million people and went to an insurance company for access to data to look at the large numbers of people.  What she found was that billions of dollars can be saved if gum disease is treated regularly.  “It phenomenal how much you can save,” she says.  Gum disease is an infectious disease that needs to be treated and can be as simple as a dental cleaning, she says.

If there’s one message to dental practitioners Professor Jeffcoat would like to share it is to talk to their patients about what can happen if they let gum disease continue.

More information about Professor Jeffcoat can be found here.  Professor Jeffcoat spoke with Dentist News Network, providing online, on demand, dental video content.

As implants are immune to decay, they are often the preferred choice over dental patients receiving root canals.  Implants are actually more affordable than a root canal because unlike a root canal, it does not need to be retreated, says Dr. Roger Briggs, dentist in Scottsdale, Arizona with Briggs Family Dentistry.

An implant procedure can often be done in one appointment, where Dr. Briggs does an “immediate load,” so the patient doesn’t need to wear something removable to replace the lost tooth.  A temporary tooth can be placed during the healing period.

Implants need to be placed so carefully and gently that most often the post-operative discomfort with an implant is far less than with a removable tooth.  Dr. Briggs says that implants can now support dentures and can also be done in one appointment.

Dr. Roger Briggs is with Briggs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Dr. Briggs is a leading dental expert with Dentist News Network, providing online, on-demand dental news video content across many dental specialties.

The treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnea is a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device.  With a compliance rate of about 40%, however, most patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea will see a dentist for an oral sleep appliance.

There are about 94 different FDA-approved oral sleep appliances to treat mild to moderate sleep apnea and these devices are prescribed by dentists, such as Dr. Roger Briggs of Briggs Family Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.    An oral sleep appliance keeps the tongue and lower jaw from falling backward, which opens up the airway for breathing.  Dr. Briggs prescribes oral sleep appliances for his patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea and sees about an 80% compliance rate with his patients, as these devices are easier to wear and travel with than the CPAP device.

Dr. Briggs will also use dual treatment for severe patients and he finds the combination of both the oral sleep appliance and the CPAP device to be very helpful with this population of patients.

Dr. Roger Briggs is with Briggs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Dr. Briggs is a leading dental expert with Dentist News Network, providing online, on-demand dental news video content across many dental specialties.

Oral cancer kills more women than cervical cancer and Dr. Roger Briggs, dentist with Briggs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona, says that he has seen oral cancers grow rapidly.

Dr. Briggs says that the key to decreasing the fatality rate with oral cancer is early detection.  If caught early enough, there is an 80% survival rate and if too late, the survival rate can be as low as 3%.  The treatment for oral cancer is quite debilitating because both the head and neck are treated.

The fastest growing segment of people diagnosed with oral cancer are young, non-smokers.  At his dental practice, Dr. Briggs includes oral cancer screenings for patients as young as teenagers, as now there is a connection with the HPV virus to oral cancer.

Dr. Briggs cannot stress enough how important it is to have a yearly oral cancer screening with a dentist, as early detection is the best prevention.

Dr. Roger Briggs is with Briggs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Dr. Briggs is a leading dental expert with Dentist News Network, providing online, on-demand dental news video content across many dental specialties.

The Central Arizona Dental Society has been working on the Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy event, recently held in Phoenix, Arizona, for over two years.  A midwest non-profit corporation had developed a repository of all of the equipment used at the event.

Arizona is the 30th state to put on this event, providing free dental care to those in need, says Dr. Roger Briggs, of Briggs Family Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Dr. Jacqueline Allen, the event coordinator says that the “goal is to get people out of pain and infection,” so it is hoped they can treat as many individuals as possible.

There is a combination of 300 dentists and 75 oral surgeons on hand at the event, as there is a “general need in the valley here, especially with the way the economy is now, to give back,” says Dr. Pat Rabot of the North Scottsdale Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.  There have been thousands of people involved, including numerous volunteers.

“This event is not only helping people but is putting out to our state government the crisis we have here in state care of dentistry for this level of population,” says Dr. Glen Doyon, of the Center for Microsurgical Endodontics.  He adds that $30 million was spent in Arizona last year taking care of emergency dental treatment.

For more information on AZ MOMS, go to www.azmom.org.  This video was broadcast by the Dentist News Network, providing online, on demand, dental video content.

The number of diagnosed children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) has increased by about 25% in the past decade and recent studies show a link between pediatric sleep disorders and the onset of ADHD.  ADHD is an attention deficit hyperactivity that is outside of the normal range about affects about 2% of children, says Dr. Roger Briggs, with Briggs Family Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.

ADHD can be genetic, nutrition can play a role, environment can play a role, such as mercury or lead poisoning and sleep and breath factor in, says Dr. Briggs.  “Everyone knows that when a child doesn’t sleep well, it affects behavior,” he adds.

Dr. Briggs says that when asleep, our brains get the opportunity to reboot and when not breathing, it impacts our hormonal system.  He can look at a 7 or 8-year-old and see how much grinding they’re doing on their mature molars and see large tonsils, as that can affect the airway.  As a dentist, he can tell if the jaws aren’t developing properly and if the blueprint doesn’t match the size of the tongue they’re given, that can push the tongue back into the airway and cause a problem.

Snoring is the most common symptom of pediatric sleep disorders.  “25-30% of all ADHD in children can be eliminated with the treatment of the airway,” says Dr. Briggs.

Dr. Roger Briggs is with Briggs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Dr. Briggs is a leading dental expert with Dentist News Network, providing online, on-demand dental news video content across many dental specialties.

When pregnant, the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to receiving dental care, says Dr. Steven Booth of Fine Dentistry in Payson, Arizona.  Dr. Booth happens to be married to an OBGYN, so he knows there are very few limitations of having dental work done during pregnancy.  In fact, he advises getting routine care or treatment done during pregnancy while there’s time before the baby comes.

With sedation, there is a little more risk, as nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is not recommended during pregnancy, says Dr. Booth.  However, everything else, from antibiotic regiments, pain medications, even anesthetics, such as lidocaine, are perfectly safe.  “Being pregnant doesn’t mean all care should cease,” Dr. Booth says.

Dr. Steven Booth is a dentist with Fine Dentistry in Payson, Arizona.  He is also a leading dental expert with the Arizona Dental Directory, part of the Dentist News Network.

When a tooth is missing, there are several options available to restore the tooth, depending on the person’s age.  While the cost varies depending on the treatment, there are third party options available to dental patients to help pay for the cost over a period of time.  Dr. Steven Booth, of Fine Dentistry in Payson, Arizona offers these third party options to his patients.

If a patient presents without a tooth, certainly they can go without a tooth.  Dr. Booth offers a prosthesis to patients as the most inexpensive option, as it is not functional but just to be used for social reasons.  Permanent options are bridges, which offers a lifespan of about 15 years.  Dr. Booth says bridges are quicker, easier and often less expensive.  For his younger patients, where repeat restoration is a factor, he recommends implants, as he says they are “by far, the best choice.”

Dr. Steven Booth is a dentist with Fine Dentistry in Payson, Arizona.  He is also a leading dental expert with the Arizona Dental Directory, part of the Dentist News Network.

Cracking a tooth can happen by an accident or simply by use.  It is very common to crack a tooth and depending on the severity, there are different treatment options available.

Dr. Glenn Doyon, of the Center for MicroSurgical Endodontics in Scottsdale, Arizona says that the classic symptoms of a cracked tooth are pain to cold or biting.  A minor crack can be solved with a filling or crown.  If the tooth is cracked badly enough that the pulp is involved, root canal must be performed to get rid of the pain.  Sometimes, Dr. Doyon says, a tooth can be cracked so badly it needs to come out and be replaced and all of these assessments are done through a thorough examination.

Following treatment, Dr. Doyon says that the tooth needs to be restored with a general dentist to get it capped.  The tooth will need to be followed over time to make sure it doesn’t propagate.

Dr. Doyon is a leading expert and a member of the Arizona Dental Directory. Visit Dr. Doyon’s website for more information at www.cmsendo.com and www.dentistnewsnetwork.com.