HOWWE SCREEN FOR ORAL CANCER ORAL CANCER CHECKS SAVE LIVES
The American Dental Association reports that over 51,500 people are diagnosed with a form of oral cancer every year. This includes cancers of the mouth, throat, tonsils, and tongue. These types of cancers can often be identified during a routine dental exam. When you come in for your check-up, that’s exactly what we do. While there are different ways to check for oral cancers, including visual and feel checks, we use an advanced method to screen for oral cancers with the VELscope Enhanced Oral Screening System. If you’re an Exceptional Smiles patient, you may already be familiar with the VELscope device. It’s a handheld instrument that projects a special fluorescent light onto soft tissue — in this case, tissue within the mouth. The light is able to highlight features within the mouth that are not typically visible to the naked eye. This includes abnormalities under the skin, such as potentially cancerous growths or formations. With most types of cancer, the earlier it’s detected, the better!
Of course, while the VELscope is a great tool that helps us identify potential issues, you can perform oral checks right at home and in between visits to the dentist. At least once a month, check your mouth, throat, and tongue to look for any new or odd sores, growths, hard spots, or spots that do not heal within 12–14 days. Additionally, conduct an external check. Feel your neck and jaw for lumps, tender spots, or other abnormalities that have appeared recently and do not appear to be healing or going away. And that’s really the big thing you’re looking for — odd or strange sores or lumps that recently formed, yet don’t appear to be healing. If you do find something out of the ordinary or you aren’t sure, we recommend making an appointment. A visit to the dentist can help you determine your best next step and if there is anything that needs to be checked out further. Come see us in the month of April for a free VELscope oral cancer screening!
Scan this QR code to see a video of our team member Janae talking about Oral Cancer Awareness Month and the tools we use!
Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner
BAD DAD JOKE OF THE MONTH
Ingredients •
If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
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2 tbsp canola oil 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice
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1 tbsp honey
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1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
1/4 tsp pepper
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 2. On a large baking sheet, combine chicken, sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. 3. Bake for 15 minutes. In the meantime, make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, and cayenne pepper. 4. Remove pan from oven and use a spatula to flip the chicken and potatoes, then add broccoli florets. 5. Drizzle sauce evenly over top and return to the oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until chicken has an internal temperature of 165 F and vegetables are fork-tender. Inspired by TheSpruceEats.com
If you would like your favorite joke featured, email Office@ExceptionalSmiles.com . You may see it in our next issue! Pilgrims!
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