Football Season Can Be A Penalty for Your Teeth!

Nothing says football season like big tub of Gatorade being dumped on the winning coach at the end of a game. But for you and your kids it could be "offsides" and "holding" on your dental health!!

Originally developed at the University of Florida in 1965 (and named after their sports teams--"The Gators") Gatorade was intended for athletes such as football players who endured rigorous workouts in the hot sun. But somehow this potent drink has become a staple of our popular culture, and its combination of sugars, salt and electrolytes can be anything but healthy for all but the most strenuous exercisers. The fact is, for just about all of us, including children, water remains the healthiest drink either with meals or during and after exercise.

"For most children engaged in routine physical activity, plain water is best," said Holly J. Benjamin, MD, a member of the executive committee of the AAP Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. "Sports drinks contain extra calories that children don't need, and could contributor to obesity and tooth decay. It's better for children to drink water during and after exercise, and to have the recommended intake of juice and low-far milk with meals. Sports drinks are not recommended as beverages to have with meals."

Even worse are "energy drinks"--which contain huge amounts of stimulants including caffeine, guarana and taurine. Some of these drinks contain more than 500 mg of caffeine--the equivalent of 14 cans of soda!! Combine that with huge amounts of tooth rotting and obesity causing sugar, and you've got a formula for health disaster. To make things worse, some schools actually have "pouring contracts" where they are paid to promote and serve unhealthy sodas and sports drinks.

Good old fashioned tap water, not only remains the healthiest drink but it's the least expensive as well.

So please enjoy football season, but remember not to let energy drinks and sports drinks blitz the dental and overall health of you and your children. To maintain maximum dental health, be sure to keep you regularly scheduled dental check ups and cleanings. Call us today at (250) 338-9085 and we will be more than happy to schedule appointments for you and your family.

This Could Save Your Life!

Oral Cancer is not affecting the population the way it used to.  Occurrence was once seen mostly in those over 50 who had been smoking for a decade or more.    Now, the population being more predominantly targeted is those 25 - 50 who present with none of the traditional risk factors.  Why is this?

Today, a common sexually transmitted virus, the same virus responsible for the majority of cervical cancers, has replaced tobacco as the number one cause of oral cancers.  These cancers occur mostly to the back of the mouth; in the oropharynx, tonsils, and at the base of the tongue.  

Please take a few minutes to watch the video below and be sure to pass along this information to your friends and loved ones. 

Frequently asked questions about oral cancer...

What is the incidence of oral cancer in Canada?  

• 3 people die every day from oral cancer in Canada
• The 5 year survival rate of oral cancer is lower (63%) than the survival rates of  cervical (75%), breast (88%), melanoma cancers (89%) and prostate cancer(95%)
 

What are the risk factors for oral cancer?  

• Most people diagnosed with oral cancer are over 50
• Excessive alcohol and/or tobacco use
• Chewing tobacco
• Infection of the oral cavity with the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV 16/18) may also be a risk factor
• Chewing betel nut
• Sun exposure to the lips
• As many as 25% of people develop oral cancer without any known risk factors

How is oral cancer best detected?

Oral cancer can be successfully treated if caught at an early stage. If not treated early, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body and it then becomes more difficult to treat.  To detect oral cancer in its early stage, have regular oral cancer screening performed by a dental and/or health professional.

• Visual examination of the intraoral tissues
• Palpation of introral and extraoral tissues
• Clinical studies have determined that use of tissue fluorescence to identify and evaluate suspicious areas that may be associated with the developement of oral cancer has been effective when perfomed in conjunction with the conventional head and neck examination.

Dr.Burry and Dr.Karamanis have now added the use of VELscope technology to our diagnostic protocol.  The VELscope is an invaluable tool in detecting oral disease earlier than by visual examinations with ordinary light alone.  This two minute exam could save your life!

Sources: Oral Cancer Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, YouTube