Roach Family Dentistry Spring 2019

Seeing gorgeous dresses, fancy suits, corsages, and boutonnieres pop up in advertisements can only mean one thing: Prom season is here! This time of year, teens are busy choosing the perfect dress or suit to wear, finding a date, making dinner reservations, and preparing for an evening of fun and dance. During this exciting time, give your teens a little encouragement and guidance to ensure they have a safe and memorable evening. CREATE A PLAN Create a plan for prom night, and make sure everyone knows what it is. Your teen should know and communicate with you what time the dance starts, what time it ends, if they’re going anywhere after, and when they’ll be coming home. 4 Tips to Keep Your Child Safe Prom Safety

PHONES Make sure your teen’s phone is completely charged in case they need to reach out to you sometime during the night. Encourage your teen to check in once every few hours, and establish an emergency code to use if they find themselves in trouble. DRIVING You and your teen should also have a plan about the modes of transportation, who’s driving, and how many people your teen is going with. Trusting the driver is important. If you’re hesitant about letting your child be driven to prom, find another way. If your teen is driving the family car, confirm that they will be the only person driving the vehicle.

DRESS SAFETY Make sure your teen is dressed comfortably and

appropriately to ensure they have a fun night without any accidents. Encourage them to wear comfortable shoes that they can walk and dance in without pain. High heels

What You Need to Know About Prevention and Testing Oral Cancer 101

can create swelling, bruises, lesions, speckled patches, and face sores. These symptoms can additionally lead to difficulty speaking, swallowing, and ear pain. While cancer can affect anyone, there are some demographics that have a higher chance of getting an oral cancer diagnosis. Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease as women, with men over 50 being the most vulnerable. PREVENTION Your habits play a critical role in preventing cancer. Tobacco and alcohol use increase your chances of developing oral cancer, but your diet and exposure to the sun can also put you at risk. According to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, 1 in 4 people diagnosed with oral cancer are not tobacco users and only drink occasionally. Abstaining from excessive alcohol and tobacco usage is a great way to lower your risk, but also keeping your sun exposure and diet in check gives you the best chance of preventing oral cancer altogether. SCREENINGS The best way to monitor your oral cancer risk is by attending regular dental appointments, where screenings are the norm. Dental experts are trained to screen for oral cancer, and they will often feel around the neck and throat for concerning signs. Some experts also use a VELscope exam, which uses fluorescent lighting to highlight any abnormalities in the mouth. Many of these tests are noninvasive and can be performed quickly at a dental clinic. If dental experts find evidence of oral cancer during an exam, they can refer patients to clinics for further testing.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and oral cancer is no different. In fact, many well-known people throughout history, including U.S. presidents Grover Cleveland and Ulysses S. Grant, Sigmund Freud, Babe Ruth, Lana Turner, and Rod Stewart, have suffered from oral cancer. Overall, 53,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with oral cancer each year, according to research by the Oral Cancer Foundation. You don’t have to wait for a diagnosis to learn about the details, prevention efforts, and tests for this debilitating disease. Prepare yourself by checking out the points below. DETAILS Oral cancer can appear as an abnormality on your lips, tongue, cheeks, mouth, sinuses, or throat. This life-threatening disease

You can learn more about oral cancer, prevention, treatments, and screenings online at OralCancerFoundation.org.

2 | GreenHillsDentist.net

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