If you have been told you have periodontal (gum) disease, you're not alone. An estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of the disease.Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, teeth are lost. Gum disease is a threat to your oral health. Research is also pointing to possible health effects of periodontal diseases that go well beyond your mouth, periodontal disease may increase your risk for a variety of health concerns such as weakened immune system, diabetes, stroke, lung diease, preterm low birth babies, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, gastric ulcers and heart disease.

Unlike most diseases that give us early warning signs, gum disease progresses silently, often without pain. It may develop slowly or progress quite rapidly. Some of the symptoms of gum disease include bad breath that won't go away, red or swollen gums, tender or bleeding gums, painful chewing, loose teeth and sensitive teeth.

You might be asking yourself, well what can I do to prevent gum disease? Here are some things you can do to prevent periodontal diseases: Brush your teeth twice a day (with a fluoride toothpaste), floss every day, visit the dentist routinely for a check-up and professional cleaning, eat a well balanced diet and don't use tobacco products.

Did you know that over 35,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year and that more than 8,000 of them will die? That is roughly 1 person every hour! Of all of those diagnosed this year only a little more than half of them will survive 5 years. So why the high death rate? Diagnosis or discovery of oral cancer tends to happen late in the disease process many times after it has already metastasized. In short if a person survives their first battle with oral cancer they are up to 20 times more likely to develop a second cancer.

There is good news dentists and physicians can in many cases detect tissue changes in the early caner stages or even the precancer stage. Many times patient disregard the early signs as not worrisome. It is imperative that you have any sore or discolored area checked if it doesn't go away with in 14 days!!!

Risk factors for oral cancer:

40 years of age or older

Tobacco use

Heavy alcohol use

Historically 75% of those diagnosed who were age 50 or older were tobacco users. Adding alcohol to tobacco use increases the risk 15 times.

The newest risk factor is HPV(Human Papiloma Virus) it is the same virus that causes 90% of all cervical cancer in women.

Many dentists are using some newer technology to help find oral cancer at it's earliest stages so get your oral cancer screening even those of you who don't have teeth are at risk for oral cancer.

This is a special year in that it will be our 30th anniversity of starting my dental practice since August of 1980. I appreciate your trust and confidence over the years and stay tuned for a planned celebration commemorating this milestone. If you haven't been in for a while, I would encourage you to get back on schedule and keep things healthy and out of any problems. To help you decide, if you haven't been back for over a year, I would like to offer a special $75 gift certificate at the famous Luciano's Restaurant as a welcome back gift. I can only offer this special offer for the next 30 days, so please call to arrange your preferred appointment.

We had the privilege of completing Joel's treatment recently with dental implants and some extensive dental work that, in his own words, were "life changing". Check out his video testimony at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgLHtpTHQ6Q

I really hope to hear from you soon. And don't worry- you won't get lectured about waiting so long to to come back. Please give my office a call today at 586-263-4060.

Want a beautiful charismatic smile?

Porcelain veneers are a great way to transform your smile.

You might be asking yourself well what are porcelain veneers and how can transform my smile? Veneers are shells of porcelain that are bonded to the front of teeth to create a cosmetic improvement and sometimes a bite improvement. Porcelain veneers have successfully improved smiles by making dark teeth look lighter and healthier looking. They can make yellow teeth permanently whiter and gray stained teeth look much more natural. Porcelain veneers can make crooked teeth look straight in just a few days. You can look and feel more confident, more professional and have a wonderfully natural looking smile.

Veneers can correct:

- Uneven or crooked teeth that have shapes that are out of proportion.

- Stained teeth that have gray color spaces between teeth

- Too much gum when you smile

- Yellow teeth that are dark and cannot be whitened or bleached

- Teeth that are sensitive can be made much less sensitive

- Worn down teeth that make you look old

What are some of the advantages to porcelain veneers?

There are many advantages of getting porcelain veneers. First and foremost they will give your teeth a natural and healthy appearance. Porcelain veneers have an advantage over other cosmetic bonding techniques since they are translucent and have a glass like appearance that is natural looking.The surface of your tooth is duplicated to give a more natural dental enamel. Porcelain is a ceramic heat fired and does not pick up stains. If there is a stain, it can be polished off easily during a normal cleaning.

Porcelain veneers could be the perfect solution for your smile, ask us about a cosmetic consultation.