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Tooth Talk
Issue 21 - Winter 2002
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When it comes to your medical history,
tell your dentist everything.
Why does the dentist need to know about your hospitalizations, medications,
allergies, and other personal medical problems? After all, having a
dental cleaning or a filling is not a big deal, right?
The answer may not be as simple as you think. Most dental treatment
is quite uneventful. However, sometimes your health condition can influence
the way your dental treatment needs to be provided, and require your dentist
to make certain changes to help avoid potential problems. What might
seem like a small thing could really be important.
Your dentist wants to provide the best possible treatment for you, as safely
as possible. Many health conditions, ranging from heart problems to
allergies, even certain medications, can affect the way your dentist needs
to approach your care.
Here are a few examples:
- If dental procedures are planned that might involve bleeding, your
dentist wants to know that your blood will clot normally. Blood clotting
can be affected by many conditions, such as liver disease. Medications,
including aspirin and even some herbal preparations, can also interfere with
normal blood clotting.
- Your dentist relies on a healthy immune system to help fight infections.
Some conditions like diabetes, and some medications like steroids, reduce
the effectiveness of your immune system.
- Many patients need to take preventive antibiotics before certain dental
procedures are performed. For example, some patients with a heart murmur,
or an artificial hip or knee, may need to take an antibiotic prior to certain
treatments to help prevent a serious infection from occurring.
It is very important for your doctor to understand as much as possible about
your past and current health condition. It also means that it is important
for your dentist to take an initial complete medical history, and to keep
it up to date by checking with you on a regular basis.
All this information on your medical history questionnaire is kept strictly
private, and is protected by doctor-patient confidentiality. It will
not be shared with anyone outside your dentist 's office without your permission.
Sometimes your dentist may wish to speak with your family doctor or medical
specialist to get more details about your medical situation. If your
dentist needs to consult with your doctor or another healthcare provider,
this will be discussed with you first.
As you can see, your medical health and your dental health are closely linked.
You and your dentist are partners, working together to provide you with the
best possible dental care. That is why it is so important to carefully
and thoroughly answer all the questions on the medical history questionnaire.
Each question is there for a reason. If you do not understand any question,
or you are not sure about the answer to any question, just ask us.
(This information bulletin was reprinted for distribution
with permission of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.)
In the News:
At the recommendation of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario,
we will be updating the medical questionnaire for our patients. We
will need all patients to fill out the new form at their next visit.
DR Ross
OH Tip:
Oral Cancer – How to protect yourself
While the rates of oral cancer have dropped in the last 20 years, health
agencies still anticipate that it will be diagnosed in more than 30,000 Americans
this year. Of those 30,000, two-thirds are men. Knowing the risk
factors as well as the signs of oral cancer can go a long way toward limiting
the influence this disease can have on your life.
Know what to look for
As with many forms of cancer, early detection of oral by checking your oral
tissues periodically. Take a few minutes to examine your lips, gums,
cheek lining and tongue, as well as the floor and roof of your mouth.
You’ll want to note any of the folowing:
- a colour change in the oral tissues (whitish or red spots, for example);
- a lump, thickening, rough spot, crust or small eroded area;
- a sore that bleeds easily or does not heal;
- pain tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips;
- difficulty swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue;
- changes in the voice;
- a change in the way your teeth fit together. IN addition, watch for
changes beyond the mouth that could signal oral cancer:
- drastic weight loss;
- a lump or mass in your neck.
If any of these conditions persists, contact your dentist for an examination.
Minimize the risk
You can take steps to reduce your risk of developing oral cancer by avoiding
behaviours that researchers have identified as being strongly associated
with the development of oral cancer.
Use of any kind of tobacco product (cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars or smokeless
varieties such as snuff and chewing tobacco), particularly when combined
with heavy alcohol consumption, has been identified as the major risk factr
for oral cancers in the United States. While this combination poses
the primary risk in the development of oral cancer, chemicals associated
with cancer have been detected in all forms of tobacco.
As with some forms of skin cancr, prolonged, repeated exposure to the sun
may increase the risk of cancer on the lip, especially the lower lip.
Try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. If your profession
or your leisure activities require that you spend extended periods outdoors,
take precautions to minimize the effects the sun might have on your lips.
Other possible risk factors in the development oral cancer include genetics,
liver function and certain medications. Diet, too, may play a role;
some studies suggest that a diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables can increase
your overall risk of developing cancer.
The importance of professional dental care
Regular visits to your dentist are important in protecting yourself
from the effects of oral cancer. As part of your regular dental
examination, your dentist can quickly and easily check the oral tissues for
signs of cancerous and precancerous lesions. Detecting and treating
cancerous tissues as early as possible is critical in helping you beat a
potentially deadly disease.
Want to know more?
Feel free to call us or ask questions at your next appointment.
(Reprinted from the Journal of the American Dental
Association, November 2001 Issue.)
Message from Gail:
Dr Leclercq will be away from the office after Christmas until the 23rd of
January. Dr Ross will be available for emergencies and his regularly
scheduled appointments during this period of time.
The new website design is almost ready. We will keep you posted for
the exact date.
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