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Teeth and Cancer

Several studies have shown that dentists can play an early warning role. According to the Popular Health Network, restorative dentist George Kiwovitz said that in his 32-year career, he has diagnosed seven cases of cancer based on the erosion of the enamel on the inner surface of the patients' upper front teeth.

Susan Hyde, associate professor at the University of California School of Dentistry, pointed out that if a gum wound does not heal within a week or two, or if the mucosa in a certain area is white or red for a long time instead of the normal pink, you need to see a doctor to rule out the possibility of oral cancer.

Dr. George has also discovered symptoms of methamphetamine addiction. Meth addiction, also known as "ice mouth," is a unique corrosion symptom that occurs on the outer layer of teeth (of drug addicts).

Teeth and diabetes

For many diabetic patients, the area where the gums meet the teeth looks bright white, bleeds easily, and the tooth roots are loose, and this happens all over the mouth. An estimated 6 million Americans have diabetes and are unaware of it. Experts say that gum problems and high blood sugar not only stem from the same lifestyle habits, but they can also aggravate each other. When gums become infected and inflamed, it can be more difficult for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels, and high blood sugar levels can aggravate tooth decay and gum problems and cause more inflammation.

Crooked teeth may lead to tongue cancer

Tongue cancer mostly occurs at the edge of the tongue, followed by the tip, back and root of the tongue, and is often ulcerative or infiltrative. Generally, it is highly malignant, grows fast, and is highly invasive, often affecting the tongue muscles, resulting in restricted tongue movement and making speaking, eating, and swallowing difficult. Tongue cancer can invade the palatoglossal arch and tonsils posteriorly. In the late stage, tongue cancer can spread to the floor of the mouth and jawbone, fixing the entire tongue.

86% of tongue squamous cell carcinoma in young and middle-aged people is related to the patients' dental deformities, and the affected part of the tongue has a history of frequent contact with inward-tilted teeth. Among the 65 tongue cancer patients aged 26-39 who were surveyed, 56 had teeth tilted or protruded toward the tongue, that is, there was abnormal contact between the teeth and the affected part of the tongue. Among them, 37 felt that their teeth often collided and rubbed against the affected part before the onset of tongue cancer, resulting in chronic damage to the tongue, some of which could not be cured for a long time.

Experts believe that long-term contact and wear of the teeth on the tongue can cause chronic lesions to form locally on the tongue; young and middle-aged men smoke and drink more, and these complex harmful factors stimulate and damage the tongue lesions for a long time, which can gradually cause the tissue cells in the tongue lesions to become deformed, and may eventually lead to cancer.

Therefore, medical experts advise people that once they find protruding or crooked teeth, deformed teeth, wisdom teeth that grow rapidly toward the tip of the tongue, and abnormal arrangement, especially long-term conflict, friction, or biting between the teeth and the tongue, they should pay great attention to it, go to the oral department of the hospital for examination as soon as possible, and undergo necessary orthopedic treatment to prevent problems before they occur.

Periodontal disease and heart disease

In addition, there is increasing evidence that there is an inevitable link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. Gum inflammation can lead to an increase in C-reactive protein, which is considered a risk factor for heart disease.

Mark Wolfe, chairman of the department of cariology and comprehensive care at NYU School of Dentistry, said researchers have found that bacteria in dental plaque can clog arteries. It was originally thought to be just a chance factor, but now it is discovered that it is actually a risk factor for disease.

Bacteria in the mouth can travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body and cause disease, which is why doctors recommend that patients considering non-acute surgery first address any oral problems that need to be addressed.

The American Heart Association no longer recommends that patients with mitral valve prolapse (the heart valve fails to close properly during ventricular contraction) take antibiotics regularly until the oral disease is cured, because it is now believed that oral bacteria can enter the human blood circulation system at any time during regular dental cleaning, daily brushing and even chewing of food.

Dentists can test for HIV

The American Heart Association, the American Medical Association and the American Orthopedic Association all urge patients who have undergone total joint replacement to take an antibiotic pill an hour before each subsequent dental visit to reduce the risk of post-operative infection.

Some dentists said they also need to be kept up to date on patients’ medications. For example, anticoagulants can cause severe bleeding in the mouth, and bisphosphonates, drugs commonly used to treat osteoporosis, can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw. Both types of medications must be stopped before oral surgery.

Blood pressure medications, calcium channel blockers, and some anti-inflammatory drugs can cause severe ulcers on the gums. Antidepressants, chemotherapy and other therapeutic drugs can cause dry mouth, resulting in a decrease in the secretion of saliva that normally protects the teeth, which may lead to extensive tooth decay. In this case, the risk of tooth decay caused by dry mouth can be reduced by adding fluoride.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that dentists offer HIV testing because some of the earliest signs of HIV infection can appear in the mouth, including fungal infections and oral lesions. The dentist only needs to use a cotton swab to swab the mouth to take a sample, and after sending it for testing, the HIV test results can be obtained in 20 minutes.

Yellowish teeth are the healthiest

Experts suggest that in addition to developing good living habits and going to the hospital for regular oral examinations, daily oral care and health care are more important and are the most effective way of prevention.

There are many toothpaste advertisements on the market, some of which focus on whitening effects, while others target anti-allergic and heat-clearing effects. A survey shows that 90% of people choose toothpaste based mainly on advertisements. Experts believe this is a serious misunderstanding. Medically speaking, yellowish teeth are healthy. Excessive pursuit of whitening is a psychological effect and will sacrifice dental health.

Periodontal disease is an "invisible killer"

According to experts, a large number of empirical studies have confirmed that periodontitis can affect the functions of important organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys. For pregnant women, periodontal disease not only endangers their own health, but may also lead to risks such as the birth of low-birth-weight babies, and the probability of this happening is nearly 7 times higher. The harm of periodontal disease can be described as an "invisible killer." Bad living habits are the main culprit for periodontal disease in adults.

Experts point out that smoking, alcoholism, mental stress, irregular work and rest schedules, and improper oral care habits may all cause illness. However, many people do not pay attention to this until the lesions invade the periodontal fibers, causing inflammation, suppuration, loose teeth or even tooth loss. For this reason, experts remind that we must pay enough attention to the harm of periodontal disease.

According to experts, the main factors causing periodontal disease are dental plaque and tartar, which cannot be completely removed by simply rinsing the mouth and brushing the teeth, and must be removed through teeth cleaning. Generally, teeth should be cleaned once one to one and a half years; people who have poor brushing habits and are prone to tartar should have their teeth cleaned once every six months.

Many friends like to drink various kinds of beverages, among which carbonated beverages are very harmful to teeth. Long-term and excessive drinking of carbonated beverages may cause large-area tooth corrosion. Children should pay special attention to this. Drinking less or no carbonated drinks and rinsing your mouth immediately after drinking are necessary measures to prevent carbonated drinks from damaging your teeth.