Oral cancer refers to cancers of the mouth, lips, tongue or throat. According to Canadian Cancer Statistics, approximately 3 people will die every day from oral cancer in Canada. If oral cancer is detected early, treatment can be very successful. Get the Facts. Reduce your Risk. Know What to Look For. Did You Know? Get the Facts: Fastest growing new oral cancer cases are in a younger, sexually active male or female who often does not smoke or have any of the typical risk factors. Oral cancer can be sexually transmitted by the human papilloma virus ñ HPV - the fastest growing sexually transmitted infection. There are 3X as many cases of oral cancer to cervical cancer. To read the entire article visit www.dentalhygienecanada.ca The remainder of the article details the following: The Good News - a list of ways to help reduce your risk What to Look For? - a list of signs and symptoms to watch for Vista Dental Care      Chad Aitken, DMD 280-5201 43 St. Red...

A Less Obvious Repair Given a choice, most people want to avoid having repairs visible in their teeth, which is why the standard silver-mercury amalgam filling isn’t always appealing. A metal filling is an acceptable, budget-minded repair, but it’s hard to camouflage against white teeth. Alternative materials have made it possible for us to offer restorations that are a natural-looking white. These composite materials bond to the healthy part of your tooth, reducing the risk of decay in the future. Ask us if this treatment is right for you. Vista Dental Care      Chad Aitken, DMD 280-5201 43 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1C7 (855) 636-9223    VistaDentalCare.ca

Learn what the American Dental Association has to about the importance of brushing and flossing daily.   The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel. Vista Dental Care      Chad Aitken, DMD 280-5201 43 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1C7 (855) 636-9223    VistaDentalCare.ca

Although the mouth is part of the body, we often think of it as something separate. We often ignore bleeding or tender gums, while an irritation or pain elsewhere in the body would mean a trip to the doctor.  Poor oral health can affect a person's quality of life. Oral pain, missing teeth or oral infections can influence the way a person speaks, eats and socializes. These oral health problems can reduce a person's quality of life by affecting their physical, mental and social well-being.  The reality is that oral health problems could be a sign of something serious such as oral cancer. Every year approximately 3,200 Canadians are diagnosed with oral cancer and 1,050 deaths from oral cancer occur. This devastating disease has a low survival rate because it is often diagnosed very late. With early detection the survival rate of oral cancer can be greatly improved. This means going to your dentist for regular dental exams. Your dentist has the training and experience to detec...

Saving Hopeless Teeth In the past, teeth with roots that had been damaged or severely infected used to require extraction, because a simple filling was an insufficient restoration. Missing teeth can create problems with your dental occlusion (bite) and should be averted whenever possible. The good news is that Dr. Aitken is able to offer root canal therapy. A root canal is a method of saving a tooth by excavating the pulp chamber of the tooth and replacing it with a filling material. When dentists first began performing root canals, the process involved extensive drilling, took considerable time, and often lacked the appropriate amount of numbing. As a result, the root canal received a reputation as something to be avoided. However, with modern anaesthetics and technology, root canals are often manageable. Vista Dental Care      Chad Aitken, DMD 280-5201 43 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1C7 (855) 636-9223    VistaDentalCare.ca

Learn what the American Dental Association has to say about wisdom teeth. The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel. Vista Dental Care      Chad Aitken, DMD 280-5201 43 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1C7 (855) 636-9223    VistaDentalCare.ca

Now the Good News The treatment of periodontal (gum) disease, in all its stages from mild to severe, is typically covered by most dental insurance plans. Non-surgical care combined with improved dental hygiene has often proven effective in slowing or even stopping the spread of the disease. However, in more severe cases, treatment may still include surgery. Vista Dental Care      Chad Aitken, DMD 280-5201 43 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 1C7 (855) 636-9223    VistaDentalCare.ca