Hi I’m Dr. Gregory Apsey at 11270 13 Mile Road, in Warren Michigan. We’re half way between Hoover and Van Dyke on the South side. The office phone number is (586) 573-7700 and you can find me on the web at drapseydds.com.
Today I would like to talk a bit more about Preventive Dentistry, I really believe in it. And here are a couple more reasons why I think it’s critically important. Preventive Dentistry is preemptive, it’s regular. Basically we believe, I believe in detecting problems early, before they become much more serious. For instance, gum disease- bleeding gums. It’s a very common problem and it is in fact about 75% of adults have periodontal disease, or gum disease. And if it were only a problem with the teeth and eventually it led to tooth loss that’s bad enough for that reason. But the problem is gum disease is a chronic inflammatory disease and along with gum disease, along with inflammation, chronic inflammation there’s a build-up of certain chemicals in the bloodstream. See reactive proteins which are associates with hardening of the arteries or Atherosclerosis and over time that has some very serious issues for much of our population. Heart Attack and Stroke– gum disease is actually related to these processes. So treating your mouth early, finding, detecting the problem early and treating it early could be key in keeping you healthier for your lifetime.
The bacteria that cause gum disease are also known to be causative in pneumonia. If there’s a high level of bacteria in the mouth and the bacteria are aspirated which can happen, these bacteria are seen in the lungs of people with pneumonia. So it can cause serious disease.
The other issue I would like to touch on is Oral Cancer. Unfortunately Oral Cancer is still on the rise. We’re finding links between the Human Papillomavirus and Oral Cancer. Human Papillomavirus is a common STD and its being passed from person to person. We are now unfortunately seeing this in the mouths of younger people. If it’s the right strain of the Human Papillomavirus it can cause Oral Cancer. So Oral Cancer screenings are part of every examination done in my dental office. Every time you come in to have your teeth cleaned I’m going to take a very close look at all of your tissues. My dental hygienist is also going to take a look at your tissues. Were looking for changes, were looking for problems that are just starting (or hopefully just starting). And when we see a problem we refer you immediately to the Oral Surgeon for biopsy. We want to know early if there’s any evidence of oral cancer beginning.
So please think prevention when it comes to dental problems. Please get in regularly for dental examinations. By the way you might want to check out our discount dental program, it might make it more affordable for you as well. Thank you.