On today’s episode of The Doctors, a daily talk show that focuses on health and medical issues, the talk turned to matters of the mouth.  The question was whether or not it’s normal to have small bumps or lumps on your tongue.  The answer: well, it depends.  Some can be harmless and some can be oral cancer. 

One of the doctors on the panel, Dr. Jim Sears, said that anybody can get bumps on their tongue from eating something that may have irritated it, such as citrus fruits.  “They kind of get inflamed for a couple of days…but they eventually go away.  Those are the harmless ones.”

Another doctor on the panel, Dr. Drew Ordon, said that you have to “watch anything that’s going on in your mouth.”  He instructed that you should be suspicious if any of the bumps or lumps in your mouth are painful and don’t go away after a few days.  It could be a sign of oral cancer.

The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) offers a resource for patients on how to protect yourself from oral cancer.  As for most types of cancer, early detection is vital to successful treatment.  The American Dental Associaton (ADA) recommends periodically checking your lips, gums, cheek lining, tongue, and the floor and roof of your mouth.  According to the ADA, you should note any of the following:

• A color change in the oral tissues (whitish or red spots, for example)
• A lump, thickening, rough spot, crust or small eroded area
• A sore that bleeds easily or does not heal
• Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips
• Difficulty in chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue
• Changes in the voice
• A change in the way your teeth fit together
• In addition, watch for changes beyond the mouth that could signal oral cancer such as drastic weight loss or a lump or mass in your neck.

 The ADA urges you to contact your dentist right away if you have any of these symptoms.  If you do not have a dentist, you can visit www.ada.org to find a dentist in your area who is a member of the American Dental Association.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing oral cancer.  If you use any type of tobacco product including cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars, or chewing tobacco, you must stop immediately.  According to the ADA, using any of these tobacco products greatly increases your risk for developing oral cancer.

The ADA also cautions that repeated exposure to the sun “may increase the risk of cancer on the lip, especially the lower lip.”  The ADA encourages you to try to stay out of the sun as much as possible or protect your lips with a product containing SPF. 

Your greatest ally in the fight against oral cancer is your dentist.  As part of your regular cleaning and checkup, you dentist performs an oral cancer screening and examination.  Your dentist will look for any signs of cancerous lesions.  If he or she finds anything suspicious, it can be immediately tested. 

Bright Side Dental is a dental group with locations in Sterling Heights, Livonia, Canton, and Royal Oak, Michigan.  Visit www.BrightSideDental.com.

LIVONIA, MI–(July 20, 2010) –  Bright Side Dental, a local Detroit dentist, in partnership with St. Mary Mercy Hospital & Meijer, will host a children’s health and safety awareness day on Saturday, August 21 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm in Livonia at 36400 5 Mile Rd.

The event will be free and open to the public.

Parents will receive a free child identification kit, provided by the Masonic Lodge. This kit includes fingerprints, a photo, teeth impressions, and a video and voice recording of their child.

Children activities include finger painting, story telling and games. Parents will have the opportunity for free car seat safety checks and receive free dental hygiene products and information for their children. Meijer will be providing nutrition tips, healthy recipes and food for all guests.

“We are very excited about this event and look forward to giving back to the community. We encourage parents to bring their kids out, take advantage of the child ID kits and have some fun,” said Josh Gershonowicz, V.P. of Marketing and Public Relations for Bright Side Dental.

About Bright Side Dental

Bright Side Dental has four locations serving Metro Detroit and has built a strong reputation by providing gentle dental care to patients for over 30 years.

Bright Side Dental is a member of the American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association and Special Care Dentistry Association and offers a full array of general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and orthodontic services.

For more information about Bright Side Dental or to schedule an appointment, visit www.BrightSideDental.com or call 1-800-PAINLESS.

It’s not just for the Real Housewives of Orange County anymore.  It’s not too expensive.  It’s not inconvenient or time consuming.  Now that you know what it’s not, let me tell you what it is…it’s Botox® and it’s easier than ever. 

If the frown lines between your eyebrows or wrinkles are all you see when you look in the mirror, it may be time for you to decide to do something about them and for yourself.  The professional, compassionate staff at Bright Side Dental has been caring for their patients since 1978 and they can help you with your Botox® needs. 

You read that correctly.  Yes, Bright Side Dental is a dental office and members of their dental team have been trained and are able to give you Botox® treatments.  It makes sense if you think about it since dentists are extensively educated in head and neck anatomy, studying it at length during dental school as well as continuing education throughout their career.  Who better to perform delicate cosmetic procedures surrounding your smile? 

As a modern, progressive dental office Bright Side Dental knows your time is valuable.  They recognize the convenience of having your dental needs and cosmetic desires cared for in one convenient location.  Bright Side Dental, with four convenient locations in Sterling Heights, Canton, Royal Oak and Livonia, is a modern practice that offers the newest in cosmetic dental procedures.

Botox® is a prescription medicine that improves the look of frown lines between brows and wrinkles.  It is a simple, non-surgical treatment and is administered at Bright Side Dental by a trained healthcare professional.      

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “more than five million Botox® injections were performed in 2008” making Botox® the “most popular minimally-invasive cosmetic procedure in 2008.” 

Costly plastic surgery is often out of the question in a time where most people have tightened budgets.  Botox® is an affordable alternative to more expensive and invasive surgeries such as facelifts.  Botox® is fast, too.  The procedure can take as little as ten minutes and no downtime is required afterward.   

After receiving Botox® injections you will quickly see an improvement in the frown lines between your brows.  This improvement will continue for up to 30 days and results can last up to four months.  It is easy to fit a Botox® treatment in to your schedule since it requires only a very quick appointment that can be done while any of your other dental needs are tended to as well.

On the website www.BrightSideDental.com, Bright Side Dental explains that Botox® works by blocking nerve impulses to the injected muscles.  It is the muscle activity that causes persistent lines to form between the brows and forehead and blocking the nerve impulses reduces these wrinkles. 

As with any procedure, there are possible side effects.  Your dentist will discuss these with you and determine if you are a good candidate for Botox® during your initial visit.  Call Bright Side Dental today at 1-800-PAINLESS to set up a free consultation to find out if Botox® is right for you.

Bright Side Dental is a dental group with locations in Sterling Heights, Livonia, Canton, and Royal Oak, Michigan.  Visit www.BrightSideDental.com.