This National Oral Cancer Awareness Month is the perfect reminder that your routine dental visit does far more than keep your smile bright. At our office, your yearly exam includes a thorough check designed to spot early warning signs that most people would never notice on their own. Oral cancer represents a small percentage of cancers diagnosed each year, but in 2022, that amounted to 54,000 new cases in the United States. It tends to occur more frequently after age 40 and is more common in men, though anyone can be affected. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, HPV, sun exposure to the lips, and even nutrition habits can influence risk. That’s why prevention and early discovery matter so much. During your annual exam, Dr. Brooks carefully evaluates areas you might not think about, from your jawline and neck to the inside of your cheeks, gums, and the roof of your mouth. This process is quick, painless, and seamlessly woven into your regular visit. While warning signs can be visible, many are subtle and easy to miss without trained eyes and hands. If you ever notice a sore, irritation, or unusual spot that sticks around longer than a few days, don’t ignore it. Bringing it up at your appointment or sooner can make a lifesaving difference. When something looks suspicious, we can perform a simple cheek swab to gather additional information. If further evaluation is needed, we promptly connect patients with specialists who can provide advanced testing and care. Open communication plays a huge role in protecting your health. Lifestyle changes, medication updates, stress levels, and habits like smoking or vaping all influence your oral health. Sharing this information honestly helps us provide the most accurate assessment and personalized care possible. Your dental appointment is about far more than teeth. It’s an opportunity to safeguard your overall well-being. Staying consistent with visits, speaking up about concerns, and keeping us informed about your health history all work together to protect you. This Oral Cancer Awareness Month, consider your next checkup a simple but powerful step toward peace of mind. Early attention saves lives, and your dental team is here to help every step of the way. The Dental Visit That Could Save Your Life YOUR DENTIST IS LOOKING OUT FOR MORE THAN YOUR TEETH
If you walk past a tween’s room at night, you are more likely to see a phone glow than a book light. That can make it feel like the season for bedtime stories is long gone. But reading together doesn’t have to end when kids outgrow picture books, and it offers benefits that make it well worth the time. We hear a lot about reading aloud to little kids because it builds vocabulary and language skills. Those gains don’t suddenly disappear when a kid turns 11. Studies show that kids who are read to hear far more words, build stronger language skills, and become more confident readers themselves. And hearing stories fosters a love of books and reading that will continue long into adulthood. The Case for Reading to Your Teens A FAMILY ROUTINE WORTH KEEPING
Older kids also get something out of reading you might not think about. It gives them a chance to slow down and think. Stories put big feelings and hard situations
on the table in a safe way. They let tweens and teens experience
someone else’s life and see different perspectives. That helps with critical thinking and builds empathy and emotional intelligence.
Reading with tweens and teens is also a great way to stay connected during a phase when feelings run high, and words can sometimes be hard to find. Instead of asking teenagers a direct question they may
not want to answer, you can talk about the character in the book who messes up, hides a secret, or figures out where they belong. It’s one step removed, which sometimes makes it easier for them to open up. Of course, this only works if you actually fit reading into your schedule. Older kids often have busier days, but even 10–15 minutes a day is enough to see the benefits. Some families listen to audiobooks in the car on the way to practice or while driving home from an activity. Researchers have found that listening and following a story still strengthens attention, language, and background knowledge, so audio can absolutely count for reading time. The real value isn’t in finishing a long list of books. It’s in finding shared time as a family to think about the same thing and learn how to talk about it together.
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