Dr. Oz brings awareness about the Scary Truth of Oral Cancer

This month Dr. Oz dedicated a segment of his show to the danger of oral cancer and the importance of oral cancer screenings. Oral cancer kills one person every hour of every day and women are now at a greater risk (rather than men a few years ago). More than 60% of cases are discovered too late and 1 in 4 people with oral cancer will die because of this.
Oral cancer used to be attributed to smoking, tobacco use, and drinking with men statistically at a greater risk. Now the number one cause of oral cancer is the HPV virus. With these new findings, people need to be aware of symptoms and get oral cancer screenings by their dentists on a regular basis (every 6 months).

Symptoms of oral cancer include:
Pain or numbness in the mouth or lips
Tenderness, burning or a sore that won’t heal
A lump or wrinkled or bumpy patch inside your mouth
Gray, red, or white spots or patches inside your mouth
Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your jaw or tongue
Any change in the way your teeth fit together

Dr. Oz stresses the importance of demanding an oral screening from your dentists since many dentists don’t do this regularly. Dr. Oz says we need to change the way our dentists take care of us. At Barotz Dental oral cancer screenings are part of our standard of care at every preventative maintenance appointment.

Can Good Oral Hygiene Save Your Life?

If the eyes are the window to your soul, then the mouth should be the door to your heart. Not just because it is key to a loving kiss, a pretty smile and savoring a meal, but also because poor oral health can be the root cause of some serious health problems, including heart disease. Yet, many Americans, even those with good access to healthcare and insurance, don't give oral care the attention it deserves. We bypass brushing, forgo the floss and dodge the dentist until there is a problem. Some adults have such heighten dental anxiety they never set foot in a dentist's office.

For more information on the effects of periodontal disease visit:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/can-good-oral-hygiene-save-your-life