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Happy Oral Cancer Awareness Month! We know oral cancer can be kind of a scary topic, but it’s worth using this opportunity to learn about the disease and spread knowledge so everyone becomes more aware. The more we know, the better we can work to prevent it!

Oral cancer is exactly what it sounds like: cancer that occurs anywhere in the mouth. It could occur on the tongue, the lips, the gums, the tongue, inside the cheek, or in the roof or floor of the mouth. Every  year, more than 8,000 people die from oral cancer. It’s a truly deadly disease.

The reason oral cancer scores a higher death rate than other common cancers such as testicular cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, thyroid cancer, cervical cancer, or even skin cancer, is because it often goes undetected until it's become too advanced and has spread to another part of the body.

So what causes this devastating disease? There is no clear answer, but some potential causes have been identified. By being aware of these, we can be alert and promote prevention of this illness:

• Age: Most patients who develop oral cancer are above the age of 40. If you’re over 40, make sure your doctor checks for signs of oral cancer and that you stay on your dental hygiene regimen.
• Tobacco: Excessive tobacco use, whether in the form of cigarette smoking or tobacco chewing, can be a substantial contributor and cause of oral cancer. So that’s another reason, among many, you should avoid tobacco.
• Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can put you at risk because alcohol converts into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages the body’s DNA and blocks cells from repairing the damage. When paired with tobacco, the dehydrating effects of alcohol make it even easier for tobacco to infiltrate mouth tissue.
• Sun exposure: Your lips need SPF, too! Repeated sun exposure increases your risk of contracting cancer on your lips, especially the lower lip.
• Diet: Not getting all the nutrients you need, from vegetables and fruits for instance, can weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to the disease.

Obviously, many of these causes relate to lifestyle choices, which we have control over. It's all about balance, being aware, and making small tweaks to our habits if we need to.

If you’re concerned that you may be at risk for oral cancer, give us a call to talk about a screening. And if you’ve been putting off a visit to our Princeton, NJ office, now is an excellent time to schedule one. Regular visits to the dentist can be the first line of defense against oral cancer!

Dental veneers are a way to correct and transform your smile by using “contact lens”-thin shells of porcelain or ceramic material and bonding them to the front of your teeth. They are strong and durable, look and feel like natural teeth, and improve your smile immediately. Here are some of the top reasons to consider getting dental veneers.

They Correct Multiple Cosmetic Issues

Dental veneers can help with cosmetic and dental health issues, and treat multiple problems at once. Some common reasons that individuals choose veneers is to close gaps and spaces between the teeth, fix alignment issues, change the overall shape and appearance of a tooth, whiten a smile by covering stained or discolored teeth, and cover chipped or cracked teeth.

If you have teeth that are already worn down and weakened, veneers help prevent further damage by covering them with a thin, tooth-colored shell.

Durability

Dental veneers are also extremely durable. They last several years longer than traditional composite fillings. You’ll have peace of mind when you choose veneers, knowing that you’ll have your new smile for many years. On average, dental veneers last about ten to 15 years. Just like your natural teeth, when you take good care of your veneers, they last longer.

Easy to Clean and Maintain

Keeping your veneers healthy and white is easy: You simply brush and floss them the way you do all of your teeth. Shortly after having your veneers installed, you’ll begin to think of them as your natural teeth because the thin shells lie right on top of your existing teeth. This makes it easy to floss and brush the way you normally would and keep them as clean as possible.

The Process is Simple

Getting dental veneers is a quick and easy process. You have a few short visits at Princeton Restorative & Implant Dentistry and see results. On average, it only takes about four weeks from your first appointment to your last to complete the veneer process.

If you are considering getting dental veneers, schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Hudis to find out exactly how they can benefit you.

In a world where everything moves so quickly and teens and young adults find themselves pulling “all-nighters” or working long hours, energy drinks have grabbed the spotlight. You’ll have one (or three) and suddenly you have the drive you need to keep going.

The same can be said for sports drinks. It’s common for people to have one even when they’re not engaged in any strenuous physical activity, which is what they were designed for. People will drink them simply because they’ve grown to love the taste.

Although they might taste great and boost your energy, there’s a serious down side to consuming energy and sports drinks on a steady basis. Studies have shown that these drinks contain so much acid that they start to destroy your teeth after just five days of consistent use.

The acid in these drinks destroys your tooth enamel, which makes your teeth more vulnerable to bacteria. This can progress to staining, tooth decay, and hypersensitivity.

That’s why Dr. Hudis and our team want to encourage you to try to limit the amount of sports and energy drinks you consume. If you do enjoy either or both of these drinks, you should make it a habit to rinse your mouth with water immediately after consumption, and brush your teeth about an hour later, after the period when acid has a softening effect on your enamel has passed.

If you feel like you’re already experiencing the side effects of heavy energy and sports drink consumption, visit our Princeton, NJ office, and our team can provide solutions for how to prevent further damage from occurring. It’s never too late to change a bad habit!

Happy March from Princeton Restorative & Implant Dentistry. The arrival of March 2021 marks one whole year since life changed unexpectedly with the spread of Covid-19 last spring. Join Dr. Hudis on today’s blog as he reflects over a year of the “New Normal” and the challenges the team faced in an unprecedented time.

“My first concern and challenge was protecting my team, and making sure that I provided a safe, secure environment for them to come to work. Knowing that I had done that, provided me with a comfort level that I was providing a safe and secure environment for my patients to receive care as well. The challenge that we faced in addition to assuring our patients that the office was safe, was then to reinforce that their oral health care was an important part of their general health and wellbeing.

Prior to reopening, and in addition to each member of the team following all of the guidelines and information provided by CDC and the ADA, we had numerous virtual and live staff meetings to discuss safety protocols and infrastructure improvements. From my perspective, I do everything I can to make the environment safe for my team. As long as they tell me they are comfortable coming to work, I feel confident that I have performed properly. We continue to have biweekly staff meetings so that we can discuss any changes in protocols and CDC recommendations on an ongoing basis. There is always an open line of communication that enables team members to freely share any of their questions or concerns, should they have any.

We have spent a tremendous amount of time, energy and finances addressing our operational standards to make sure the office is safe and protected. We continue to screen every patient coming into the office according to guidelines provided by the CDC and American Dental Association (ADA). We have acquired the appropriate levels of personal protection equipment for all of the staff in such a way to make sure patients are protected at all times.

Initially, there was some concern and fear, but because of the constant communication we had with our patients from the very beginning of the shutdown, they achieved a level of comfort and realized that keeping current with their oral health care was a vital part of their health and wellbeing. We are encouraged when some of our patients have told us that we are the first and sometimes only place that they will go out of their house! There are however, some patients that are still uncomfortable managing their dental health. We always assure them that when they are ready, we are here for them.”

The office is still currently under CDC guidelines so we continue to ask that before you arrive at our office that you prescreen for any Covid-19 symptoms. Once you arrive to your appointment please call us so that we can allow for safe distancing throughout the office. Upon entering the office we temperature check and pulse oxygen test at every visit. We thank you for your participation to ensure the continued health and safety of staff and patients alike.

This has been a challenging year for all of us as a team! We are gratified by the confidence that our patients have placed in us to continue to provide for their comprehensive dental care needs. We look forward to continuing to provide each and every one of our patients with the best care possible. We look forward to seeing you in the office again soon!