I had my wisdom teeth pulled two days ago and now the extraction sites really hurting me more then before. Is this a sign of dry socket?

Reply: You will want to look at the site where the tooth was extracted. If you have dry socket you will probably notice a dry looking opening. Instead of a dark blood clot you will notice there will just be whitish bone. The pain typically starts about two days after the tooth was pulled. Over time it becomes more severe and can radiate to your ear. Additional symptoms of dry socket include bad breath and an unpleasant smell and taste in your mouth. If you are noticing these symptoms you should consult with your dentist right away.

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When you do not have your teeth as white as you may like but can not afford whitening treatment many people turn to baking soda as a home home remedy. However there are good and bads to baking soda being use to white your teeth which should be consider before using.

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Because dental insurance is usually acquired as part of a job benefit package, most persons lose their dental insurance coverage when they retire. In some states, Medicaid provides limited dental coverage for routine dental care for low income and disabled elderly persons. Medicare, on the other hand, does not cover routine dental care for older adults, but provides a few, very limited services considered to be “medically necessary.” With only 22 percent of the adults 65 years and older covered by private dental insurance in 1995, most dental care expenses for the elderly were paid out of pocket.

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Oral cancer, which includes lip, oral cavity, and pharynx cancer, is a particular concern for persons 65 years of age and older, because they are seven times more likely to be diagnosed with oral cancer than persons under age 65. In 1997, 4,775 people 65 years and older died as a result of oral cancer. More older adults died from oral cancer than from skin cancer (3,978) As with other cancers, survival improves when the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage rather than at a later, more advanced stage. Because patients with an early stage of oral cancer rarely have pain or other symptoms, detecting an early oral cancer is primarily dependent upon the clinician providing a comprehensive oral cancer examination.

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Due to that chronic diseases are so prevalent among older adults, many seniors take multiple prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. Therefore it is not unusual for at least one of these medications to have a side effect that is detrimental to their oral health. For example, antihistamines, diuretics, antipsychotics, and antidepressants can reduce salivary flow which can result in dry mouth.

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A new review published online today in the scientific journal Addiction has found that dental patients with substance use disorders have more tooth decay and periodontal disease than the general population, but are less likely to receive dental care. With drug use increasing by approximately three million new users each year, this is a problem that won’t disappear anytime soon.

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When reviewing dental insurance plan you may note that some dental services refer to Anterior teeth. Anterior teeth are the front teeth. The six upper and six lower teeth in your mouth.

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Question: I brush my teeth with a hard bristle brush so that I get my teeth clean but then when I do my gums bleed. I brush hard because I tend to have bad breath and I want to make sure that my breath dose not stink. What can I do to have healthy teeth and gums?

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Question: I never been to the dentist. My mom says they will hurt me if they did a cleaning. I feel I should go to the dentist but I do not want to be hurt by one and my mom dose not seem to want to take me to one.

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Question: I do chew daily, I am wanting to stop but until I do if I brush often will that help prevent dental health issues?

Answer: The side effects of chewing tobacco are numerous, but since we are talking about your teeth here are the side effects related to just your mouth.

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According to a recent survey, it reveals that more than a quarter of us admit to lying to our dentist about our flossing and dental care habits. The study reveals that 27 per cent of us lie to our dentists on a regular basis, telling them that we floss every day. Astonishingly the findings also show that 14 per cent find cleaning the toilet more appealing than flossing every day.

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When you go to your dentist and he/she dose an oral cancer screening exam, your dentist will look over the inside of your mouth to check for red or white patches or mouth sores. Using gloved hands, your dentist will also feels the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or other abnormalities.

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It is important to know that oral cancer screening can not detect all mouth cancers. It can be difficult to detect areas of abnormal cells just by looking at your mouth, so it is possible that a small cancer or precancerous lesion could still go undetected.

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The goal of oral cancer screening is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage. When cancer or lesions are found at the early stage they are easier to remove and have a larger chance of being cured.  Although no studies have proven that oral cancer screening saves lives,  Some groups agree about the benefits of an oral exam for oral cancer screening where as other do not.  Yet people with a high risk of oral cancer may be more likely to benefit from oral cancer screening. Risk factors that can increase your risk of oral cancer include:

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A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) will carry out a physical examination and ask the patient questions about his/her symptoms. If oral cancer is suspected the patient will be referred to either an oncologist or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist. An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancers. ENT specialists are also known as Otolaryngologists.

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Most dentists perform an examination of your mouth during a routine dental visit to screen for oral cancer. Oral cancer screening is an examination performed by a dentist to look for signs of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. The main goal of oral cancer screening at your dental check up, is to identify mouth cancer early, when there is a greater chance for a cure. To do this some dentists may use additional tests to aid in identifying areas of abnormal cells in your mouth.

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What is a “risk factor”, a risk factor is anything that increases that likelihood of developing a disease or condition. Such as, regular smoking increases your risks of developing lung cancer, therefore smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer. The risk factors for mouth cancer include:

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Oral cancer for many people have no detectable symptoms during the early stages. However smokers, heavy drinkers and people with a family history of oral cancer should have regular checkups at the dentists, that because dentists are often able to identify signs of oral cancer. Below is a list of signs and symptoms to be mindful of:

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