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A Dental Visit Could Actually Save Your Life!

If you are putting off that overdue visit to the dentist, take a moment and think it through carefully, as this decision could impact your very life.

Take for example, the story of this four-year-old girl from Washington. During a routine dental exam, her dentist discovered a tumour in her jaw which turned out to be neuroblastoma – an aggressive and deadly cancer. Thankfully, due to early detection, treatment was successful and this lucky young girl is now cancer-free.

Many unfortunately don’t recognize that a dental examination goes beyond just teeth. In fact, when I provide a patient examination, I am always looking for irregularities not only within a patient’s dentition, but also on his lips, tongue, mouth floor, gingiva (gums), hard and soft palate, neck and throat as well. I palpate the neck’s lymph notes, recording any abnormalities or potential abnormalities I may detect, noting number, size, consistency, tenderness, mobility and location of any irregularities in the patient’s chart and determining whether immediate follow-up by an appropriate specialist may be required.

The importance of this exam can and should never be underestimated. This lucky little girl is living proof!

Our Recent Blogs

Explore the latest dental breakthroughs and advancements in oral health care in these recent blogs.

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