As the Morgan Hill community gears up for the annual Relay For Life, an event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for the American Cancer Society, Santa Teresa Dental would like to remind cancer patients about the importance of oral care.

When possible, schedule a thorough dental checkup at least one month before the cancer treatment begins.  Dr. Andrew Huang may recommend having oral diseases treated early and extracting all hopeless and questionable teeth.

During cancer treatment, continue to gently brush teeth, with a fluoride toothpaste, twice a day unless Dr. Andrew Huang recommends otherwise. Dr. Huang may also recommend a mouthrinse and/or a prescription fluoride gel to help reduce the likelihood of tooth decay.

Continue to gently floss once a day.  If the gums are sore or bleeding in places, avoid those areas but continue to floss other teeth until the condition improves.

Some patients discover they can not tolerate the flavor of their regular toothpaste. If this happens try another flavor that will not irritate mouth tissues.

Rinse your mouth several times a day with a solution of ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water, followed by a plain water rinse. This is particularly helpful if you experience vomiting after cancer treatment.

If dry mouth develops, saliva replacement is available at pharmacies. Taking frequent sips of water, sucking on ice chips or sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may provide relief.

Finally, eat a balanced diet. And of course avoid using tobacco and alcohol.

To give patients their best chance to fight cancer, add your dentists to the treatment team and visit the dentist before beginning radiation therapy. During treatment, the dentist can work with the oncologist and the patient to monitor any changes in their mouth and make recovery as comfortable as possible.

According to figures from the National Institute of Health, oral complications occur in almost all patients receiving radiation for head and neck malignancies, in more than 75% of bone marrow transplant recipients and in nearly 40% of patients receiving chemotherapy.

Oral side effects of cancer treatment can include:

• Inflammation and ulceration of the mouth lining
• Painful mouth and gums
• Increased risk of developing oral and systemic infections
• Dry mouth
• Rampant tooth decay
• Burning, peeling or swelling tongue
• Stiffness in the jaw
• Impaired ability to eat, speak or swallow
• Change in ability to taste
• Poor diet because of problems with eating

Add Dr. Andrew Huang of Santa Teresa Dental to be part of your cancer treatment team. Together we celebrate, remember and fight back.

As the malignant cancer spreads and destroys healthy oral tissue, the lesions or lumps become more painful.

Oral cancer is sometimes difficult to self-diagnose, so routine dental exams are recommended.

See Dr. Andrew Huang of Santa Teresa Dental immediately if you observe:

• any sore that persists longer than two weeks
• a swelling, growth or lump anywhere in or about the mouth or neck
• white or red patches in the mouth or on the lips
• repeated bleeding from the mouth or throat
• difficulty swallowing or persistent hoarseness.

Any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask at your next visit with us!

Oral HPV infection is considered an important risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers for both men and women, even in the absence of smoking and alcohol consumption.

At Santa Teresa Dental, we routinely provide intra- and extra-oral soft tissue examinations for all patients, not just those with traditional robacco use and alcohol consumption risk factors.

Another reason why you should visit us minimum once every 6 months!

Look forward to your next visit with us.

The most frequent oral cancer sites are the tongue, the floor of the mouth and soft palate tissues in back of the tongue, lips and gums.

If not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can spread, leading to chronic pain, loss of function, irreparable facial and oral disfigurement following surgery and even death. Your dentist can perform a thorough screening for oral cancer.

Scientists aren’t sure of the exact cause of oral cancer. However, the carcinogens in tobacco products and alcohol, as well as excessive exposure to the sun, have been found to increase the risk of developing oral cancer.

Recent studies show that Oral HPV infection is considered an important risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers, even in the absence of smoking and alcohol consumption.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask at your next visit with Dr. Andrew Huang.

When patients seek dental advice, patients demand an expert. Santa Teresa Dental, the Best Dentist in San Jose, is the obvious choice because they have the expertise, the most up-to-date equipment and they practice the latest dental techniques.

Every dentist is not created equally. The dentists of Santa Teresa Dental, the Best Dentist in San Jose, are extensively trained in numerous areas of the profession. They attend study clubs monthly and attend numerous continuing education courses. Dr. Andrew Huang has accumulated over 600 units of continuing education, which far exceeds the 25-unit yearly requirement of dental license renewal. They are the active member of major dental organizations.

The Best Dentists of San Jose are committed to incorporating the very best technology and techniques that dentistry has to offer into the practice in order to provide patients with a truly excellent dental experience. In particular, they utilize leading edge techniques and procedures to create truly magnificent smiles.

http://www.stdental.com/, we promise to provide superb dentistry for you & your family. Dr. Huang and Dr. Ann bring over 25 years of combined dental experience. They are extensively trained in numerous areas of the profession and are well prepared to address all the dental needs.

As a dentist for kids, I get that question a lot. It seems hard to get your toddlers to do anything, especially brushing and flossing.

I always recommend to start brushing your child’s teeth and gums early, even before their first baby tooth erupts. It is easy to do. Just use a wet gauze or soft baby clothes to massage their gums gently. By doing this, your child is getting use to your finger in their mouth. It will help future brushing go easier.

By the time the first tooth erupts, use a soft toothbrush, such as an Oral B stage 1 baby toothbrush, a MAM training toothbrush or an Orajel baby tooth/gum cleanser. Most children at this stage like to chew their toothbrush which is a good start. Toothpaste is not necessary at this time. I know from personal experience that my daughter will eat the entire paste before she will give up her brush! Wet gauze or wet clothes might not work anymore at this stage, because your toddlers start to experiment with their teeth and start to bite.

Make is fun! Sing a song together while you brush their teeth. Brush his toy buddies teeth first, then brush your child’s teeth. Let her brush your teeth first, then you brush her teeth. Lay him down, upside down, with his head in your lap. Tickle her so she opens her mouth. Go to the store and let him pick out his favorite toothbrush with his favorite characters on it.

Nothing beats role modeling. At this age, your child wants to do everything you do. So make brushing and flossing a family activity!

And don’t forget to bring your child to our office within six months of their baby teeth eruption.  His/her first appointment should be fun and exciting and the silly monkey brushing and flossing video will have them laughing.

Learn more about keeping your child’s teeth healthy with this true or false quiz.

1. T or F All children older than 6 months should receive a fluoride supplement every day.
2. T or F Parents should start cleaning their child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
3. T or F Parents should start brushing their child’s teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride at age 3.
4. T or F Children younger than 6 years should use enough toothpaste with fluoride to cover the toothbrush.
5. T or F Parents should brush their child’s teeth twice a day until the child can handle the toothbrush alone.
6. T or F Young children should always use fluoride mouth rinses after brushing.

ANSWERS

1. False. Parents of a child older than 6 months should discuss with your child’s doctor or dentist about your child’s specific fluoride needs.
2. True. Start cleaning as soon as the first tooth appears. Wipe teeth every day with a clean, damp cloth. Switch to a small, soft toothbrush as more teeth come in.
3. False. Parents should start using toothpaste with fluoride to brush their child’s teeth at age 2. Toothpaste with fluoride may be used earlier if the child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.
4. False. Young children should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
5. True. Children usually do not have the skill to brush their teeth well until around age 4 or 5. Parents should brush their young child’s teeth thoroughly twice a day until the child can handle the toothbrush alone.
6. False. Fluoride mouth rinses have a high concentration of fluoride. Children younger than 6 years should not use fluoride mouth rinses unless the child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.

With the growing awareness of the systematic relationship between oral health and the wellness of the whole body, people are paying more attention to how their smile portrays them as an individual. People associate yellow teeth or tooth loss with old age. Hence, by simply whitening ones teeth, it could bring years back to a smile.

Today, there are many teeth whitening products on store shelves. Some claim to be as effective as the teeth whitening treatment done in a dental office. But are they? Here you will find helpful tips and a comparison between over the counter products vs. dentist supervised teeth whitening methods.

There is an old wife’s tale about using lemon juice and baking soda mixture as a home-made teeth whitening solution. It is never recommended. Citric acid in the lemon potentially could dissolve your enamel, leaving your teeth unprotected.

Over-the-counter whitening strips and gels are peroxide-based. The gels are applied directly onto the surface of your teeth.

Tray-based tooth whitening systems involves filling a mouth guard like tray with a gel whitening solution and wearing the tray for a period of time.

The in-dentist-office teeth bleaching provides the quickest way to whiten teeth. With in-office bleaching, the whitening product is applied directly to the teeth. These products can be used in combination with heat, a special light, and/or a laser. Results are seen in only 30- to 60-minutes at a session. With in-office bleaching, dramatic results can be seen after the first treatment. This type of whitening is the most expensive technique.

Who doesn’t desire to look younger and have a dazzling smile? Discuss the whitening options with your dentist today.

Thanks to the generosity of Santa Teresa Dental patients and the South County community, Morgan Hill’s Best Dentist, as voted by locals, collected more than 1,200 pounds of canned food and more than 50 toys during its sixth annual holiday collection.

“These are tough times, so businesses as well as individuals, must work together to make sure the spirit of the holidays reaches everyone, especially those in need,” said Dr. Andrew Huang.“The ‘Pictures with Santa’ event went very well. Our patients are really very generous.”

Doctors Andrew Huang and Ann Lien of Santa Teresa Dental sixth annual holiday event featured photos with Santa. Participants donated new, unwrapped toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots and non-perishable food for the Second Harvest Food Bank in exchange for a professional photo with Santa.

“Santa Teresa Dental has helped us collect toys for needy children for the past six year,” said Toys for Tots’ Morgan Hill coordinator Gina Six. “They really help us meet our the community need.”