December Newsletter Updates!

December's Newsletter has been sent to all of our patients. If your email has changed, please let our office know. We have some very exciting changes in our office this month. 

Best Wishes to each of our wonderful patients.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dr. Clark & Team

Lebanon Soup Kitchen Donation for 2019

Great News! Thanks to our wonderful patients, the 2019 donation to the Lebanon Soup Kitchen was $275.00. We appreciate your willingness to make this possible each year.

October is National Hygiene Month

Here is our latest eNewsletter. If you did not receive this via your email, please contact us to update that information. Enjoy!

Alarming Link Between Untreated Gum Disease and Oral Cancer

As you can see from our logo, laser dentistry is very important to Dr. Clark. He has invested time, money, and education into bringing this state-of-the-art technology to our office.  He has seen many lives transformed because of this technology. 

Fight Gum Disease.com featured this article about the link between gum disease and oral cancer: 

The Alarming Link Between Untreated Gum Disease and Oral Cancer

Oral cancer accounts for just 2-4% of all cancers, but that number is on the rise. Because of the lack of pain associated with oral cancer, early detection and treatment plans are unfortunately rare. Gum disease is also often undertreated due to a lack of noticeable symptoms. Gum disease, if left untreated, can have a whole host of effects on your mouth and body — including the loss of your teeth. New research suggests that gum disease and oral cancer may be more related than we thought.

What is Porphyromonas gingivalis?

Now, porphyromonas gingivalis — bacteria found in chronic gum disease — is being blamed partially for the development of oral cancer. P. gingivalis is the bacteria “most highly associated with the chronic form of periodontitis, and can be detected in up to 85% of the disease sites,” according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology.

According to nutritional periodontist Dr. Alvin Danenberg, “the aggressive behavior in dental plaque may be a direct result of chronic systemic inflammation and a compromised host response. Once P. gingivalis becomes pathogenic, the immune system has a difficult time killing it.”

As a chronic condition, P. gingivalis is capable of not only causing damage to the periodontal region, but also spreading to other parts of the body, causing other diseases. A study found that oral cancer cells and cancer stem cells became more aggressive after repeated infection by P. gingivalis.

Treating gum disease to prevent oral cancer

Treatment of P. gingivalis, then, is critical in the prevention of oral cancer. The LANAP protocol is a treatment method that can get into the spaces underneath the gum tissues around the teeth that are infected with P. gingivalis. It’s also the only treatment method FDA cleared as scientifically proven to regenerate bone and tissue lost to gum disease.

Making sure you are regularly seeing your dentist and asking them to scan for gum disease is the first step to making sure your oral health stays in tip top shape. Don’t let something that seems mild snowball into a life-changing event.

Recap

• Both gum disease and oral cancer are undertreated due to lack of symptoms
• New research suggests a link between the bacteria that causes gum disease, P. gingivalis, and oral cancer
• The spread of P. gingivalis from your mouth to the rest of your body can also cause other illnesses, including other types of cancer
• Regular dental checkups and effective treatment of gum disease are necessary to ensure both your oral and overall health

Getting More Mileage from Your Mouth

The American Dental Association has a fun analogy comparing our oral health care health to a car's health. 

Getting oil changes, stopping for gas and going through the car wash are the things you do without a second thought to keep your car in tip-top shape. So what are you doing for your teeth? Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to taking care of the things you depend on most. Get the most mileage out of your mouth by using these strategies in your dental care routine.

Watch What Gets In Your Grill
A grill on a car keeps harmful things from getting under the hood. Think of your own grill as a filter system for your entire body. Everybody’s mouth is full of germs—some good, some bad. The bad ones can cause cavities and gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss. Severe gum disease is also associated with other medical problems, like diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Keep Your Fuel Tank Full
You wouldn’t put just anything in your fuel tank, so be aware of what you're putting in your mouth. Keep your engine running with a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. 

Practice Preventative Maintenance
Your car won’t get very far without fresh oil and proper tire pressure. Your teeth also need regular care. Daily brushing and flossing are the best ways to keep your mouth healthy. 

Get a Tune Up
Taking your car in for a tune up can extend the life of your vehicle and catch small repairs before they turn into big fixes. Regular visits to your dentist and good dental habits can prevent many dental diseases and will keep you smiling for years to come.

August's eNewsletter is here!

Summer is winding down. Make sure to enjoy these final few weeks. 

Call to schedule your semi-annual cleanings before your dental benefits run out!

Root Canal Basics

The American Dental Association describes root canal treatment that can save a severely damaged decaying tooth or a serious tooth infection. Root canals are used to repair and save your tooth instead of removing it. 

What’s Involved in Root Canal Repair?

The pulp is soft tissue inside your tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels and provides nourishment for your tooth. It can become infected if you have:

• A deep cavity
• Repeated dental procedures that disturb this tissue
• A cracked or fractured tooth
• Injury to the tooth (even if there’s not a visible crack or chip)

If untreated, the tissues around the root of your tooth can become infected. When this happens, you will often feel pain and swelling and an abscess may form inside the tooth and/or in the bone around the end of the root of the tooth. An infection can also put you at risk of losing your tooth completely because bacteria can damage the bone that keeps your tooth connected to your jaw.

What Should I Expect?

A root canal treatment usually takes 1 or 2 office visits to complete. There is little to no pain because your dentist will use local anesthesia so you don’t feel the procedure. Once the procedure is complete, you should no longer feel the pain you felt before having it done.

Before treatment begins, your dentist will:

• Take X-rays to get a clear view of your tooth and the surrounding bone.
• Numb the area around and including your tooth so you are comfortable during the treatment.
• Put a thin sheet of latex rubber over your tooth to keep it dry, clean and protected from viruses, bacteria and fungus that are normally in the mouth.

During treatment, your dentist will:

• Create an opening in the top of your tooth.
• Remove the tooth’s nerve from inside the tooth and in the areas in the root, known the root canal.
• Clean inside the tooth and each root canal. Your dentist may treat the tooth with germ-killing medicine.
• Fill the root canals with a rubber-like material to seal them against future infection.
• Place a temporary filling on the tooth to protect it until a definitive restoration like a permanent filling or crown can be placed at the earliest opportunity.

After root canal treatment:

• Your tooth and the area around it may feel sensitive for a few days. You can talk with your dentist about how to relieve any discomfort you may have.
• Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics if the infection spread. Use as directed, and follow up with your dentist if you have any problems taking it.

You will need a follow-up visit after the root canal treatment. At this visit, your dentist will remove the temporary filling on the tooth and replace it with a regular filling or a crown to protect your tooth from further damage. A metal or plastic post may also be placed in the root canal to help make sure the filling materials remain in place. This helps support a crown if you need one.

How Long Will a Root Canal Filling Last?

With proper care, your restored tooth can last a lifetime. Make it a point to brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth once a day and see your dentist regularly to make sure your teeth are strong and healthy.

Source: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/r/root-canals

ADA Toothbrushing Tips

July's eNewsletter is Here!

Stay up on all the news and happenings of Dr. Clark and his team. Learn about our new Office Manager in this month's newsletter!

Schedule your back-to-school exam now

 before slots fill up! 

June's eNewsletter has arrived!

Meet Alice, Our Head Assistant Clinic Coordinator

We are so lucky to have Alice as part of our wonderful team. She has been with Dr. Clark for a very long time. She knows our clients well and adds to our "at home" environment that we strive to have in our office. 

We invite you to share our New Patient special with friends and family. Bring them on board and give them the great experience you are accustomed to having in our office.

Brushing, Flossing and Heart Disease

The correlation between gum disease and heart disease is real. When your gums cannot act as a defense against bacteria, your heart can be affected. 

Keep your mouth clean and your heart happy!

Dental Cleaning Appoint Today = Fast and Furious Brushing & Flossing

Is this you? Enthusiastic brushing and flossing right before your dental appointment are appreciated by us (clean mouths are nice) but you are robbing yourself of the long-term benefits of a healthy, clean mouth when you are not consistent in your own oral health care habits.

How can you improve your daily oral hygiene this month?

Oscar Performance at the Dental Office?

We would much rather you tell us you are struggling with brushing and flossing every day instead of trying to "convince" us otherwise. Your teeth and gums will always tell the truth. Just embrace what needs to improve in your life, and let us be part of your future success story!

Time for a New Toothbrush?

When was the last time you replaced your toothbrush? Toothpaste tubes remind us they need to be replaced because they run out, but sometimes we hang on to our toothbrushes way too long!

The American Dental Association recommends replacing toothbrushes every 3-4 months, or immediately after an illness. We've met some patients who hang onto their favorite toothbrush like a security blanket. When the bristles are misshapen, frayed or missing, it is well beyond time to upgrade. 

If you are looking for a replacement, may we suggest the Oral-B Genius toothbrush that we carry in our office? The options and perks with this toothbrush are endless. 

Drop on by to pick a new toothbrush up today! You won't regret it.

Photo Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/217017275767423670/

May's eNewsletter has arrived!

Oral Cancer Warning Signs

Watching your mouth for early warning signs is the best line of defense. If you notice a sore in your mouth that does not heal or causes discomfort or tenderness please call us immediately. Time is always of the essence. 

There are a number of ideas and technologies that screeners may add to the visual and tactile screening. The most common is a blue light which helps them distinguish some tissue changes that may not be different enough from the surrounding tissue for a screener to notice. NOT ALL OF THE TISSUE CHANGES THESE LIGHTS WILL FIND ARE CANCER, and the vast majority of discoveries with a tissue autofluorescence blue light are benign. While these lights are not specific to finding cancer, they can be a useful additional tool for the examiner. 

Oral Cancer Screening is Critical

Front of the mouth oral cancers, usually related to tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption or a genetic predisposition in a small number of cases, often produce visible pre-cancerous tissue changes that can be seen with the naked eye. 

In the very rear of the mouth known as the oropharynx, cancer can occur related to tobacco, use but now more frequently it is caused by the HPV16 virus, one that is commonly associated with cervical and other cancers. Therefore, do not think that because you are a non-smoker that you should skip these important screenings. 

Oropharyngeal cancers occur frequently in the tonsils and at the base of the tongue where it begins to curve down into the throat. Both these areas are hard to visualize, and early cancers in these areas do not often produce surface changes that a screener can see. 

Because of this, a good screening will incorporate verbal questions about symptomology that an individual might experience, but be unaware that it is an early warning sign for the development of a cancer in this region.

Photo: Source: https://groupdentistrynow.com/oral-cancer-free-screening-dso-dental-group-practice-utah/

Source: https://oralcancerfoundation.org/screening/

April: Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Factors that may increase risk

Research has identified a number of factors that may contribute to the development of oral cancer. Historically, those at an especially high risk of developing oral cancer have been heavy drinkers and smokers older than age 50, but today the cancer also is occurring more frequently in younger, nonsmoking people. The sexually transmitted human papillomavirus 16 (HPV) is related to the increasing incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (most commonly involving tonsillar tissue, including the base of tongue) in that younger population. HPV caused oropharyngeal cancer may present with one or more of the following persistent (longer than two-three weeks) signs and symptoms:

• a painless lump or swelling felt in the neck
• sore throat, difficulty swallowing, or pain when swallowing
• swelling of the tonsillar areas at the back of the mouth

Be aware of the symptoms and risk factors of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Early detection and treatment may well be the key to a complete recovery.

Source:

https://www.aaom.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=140:april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month

Photo Source: 

https://www.northscottsdaledentist.com/blog/get-oral-cancer-check-april-oral-cancer-awareness-month/

Don't miss our newsletter for April!

Gum Disease is Preventable!

Gum disease is no laughing matter. There are many ways we can help you with tooth loss, but the best course of action is the early implementation of a solid oral health care routine. 

Make this habit a priority in your life and in the lives of your family members. There is truth in the proverb "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation Testimonial

Pinhole surgical technique is a very successful procedure that has revolutionized gum recession treatment. 

We have spotlighted our employee, Linda, this month in our newsletter and on social media. She also took a moment to share her experience with the Pinhole procedure. 

We want you to have the same success that Linda experienced. Call us today to schedule a free consultation. Do not wait any longer to give yourself the smile you desire.

Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Treatment

Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation is a fantastic, easy procedure that helps correct the effects of gum recession. Call today to schedule a free consultation.

Check out our website for more information: http://www.laserdennist.com/services/gum-recession-and-exposed-roots/pinhole-surgical-technique-pst

March eNewsletter is Here!

Enjoy this month's newsletter. 

Call us to schedule your 

semi-annual cleaning. 

541-451-1440

Make a Date With Your Mouth Today!

Make a date with your mouth every six months. Unless something important is scheduled on the calendar, it is not going to happen. Don't put off your semi-annual cleanings. First of all, we miss you too much when you do that, but even more importantly, your mouth needs a little support. 

We ask a lot of our mouths each day. Keeping up on our semi-annual exams helps prevent dental issues that can become painful, expensive and even life-threatening.

What do you say? Will you make a date with your mouth twice this year? Come on, you know you love visiting our fun dental team! 

Call to schedule today!

Photo Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/394698354841911335/

Coloring Contest - National Children's Dental Health Month

Download, print, and color this fun page in celebration of National Children's Dental Health Month. Bring it by our office for a free toy from our treasure chest.

You can also link to the file here: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

February is National Children's Dental Health Month

February is National Children Dental Health Month. The American Dental Association produces materials that make teaching oral hygiene care simple for you and your children. 

We've attached a fun tracking chart for you to use. 

Link for printables: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month