Oral Problems

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Bad Breath

Nearly all bad breath originates from the mouth, mostly from the surface of the tongue, below the gum line, between the teeth and other hard to reach areas. The mouth is normally inhabited by bacteria and the balance between the different kinds of bacteria determines the quality of your breath. The odor causing bacteria are anaerobic which means they cannot live in the presence of oxygen. These anaerobic bacteria inhabit the surface of the tongue by residing between the papillae of the tongue which is oxygen deficient i.e. they live "within" the tongue. These bacteria cannot be removed completely with a tongue scraper and will recolonize the mouth following antibody therapy. These naturally occurring bacteria feed on proteins (oral debris) and produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) as a by-product of metabolism causing the malodor of bad breath. Read More...

Oral Cancer

Each year in the US, approximately 30,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer. Worldwide the problem is far greater, with new cases annually approaching 300,000. Mouth cancer, tongue cancer, and throat cancer fall under the category of Oral cancer. In the US alone, a person dies from oral cancer every hour of every day. When found early, oral cancers have an 80 to 90 % cure rate. Unfortunately, the majority are found at late stage cancers, accounting for the very high death rate. .Of those 30,000 newly diagnosed individuals, only half will be alive in 5 years. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkins disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma). Read More...

Canker Sores

A canker sore is an ulcer (open sore) in the mouth, appearing as either a painful white (yellow) sore surrounded by a reddish grey border could be a canker sore which is quite different than a fever blister or herpes. The medical term for canker sores are Apthous Stomatitis. These apthous ulcers are usually small (1-5 mm), appearing either solitary or as a cluster of small ulcers. They can however sometimes be larger (5-10mm). Read More...

Oral Herpes (Cold Sores)

Many people are not aware that Fever Blisters and Cold Sores both refer to the same thing, an infection on the lips caused by the human herpes simplex virus, usually type 1 (HSV-1).  The medical term is known as oral herpes. A cold sore typically begins as an itch, tingle, or tenderness to the touch (prodrome), and progresses on to become a skin eruption. As the disease progresses, small fluid filled vesicles may form and join together.

These eventually break due to disease progression and form ulcers. The ulcers may weep fluid when they are open. They are very contagious at this time. The ulcers then scab over and heal spontaneously without complications in 7-14 days. Read More...

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)

Burning Mouth Syndrome is characterized by a burning pain in the tongue, lips, or other oral sites, usually without any known source. About 1.3 million American adults suffer from burning mouth syndrome, most being pre-menopausal women. Symptoms that are also experienced by affected patients are dry mouth and taste alterations. Most patients will awaken without pain or symptoms, but note increasing sensations throughout their day. In addition to the symptoms experienced, chronic anxiety or depression, nutritional deficiencies, type 2 diabetes, and changes in salivary function are other conditions that have been reported. However, according to the February 2002 article written by Grushka, Epstein, and Gorsky of the American Academy of Family Physicians, these conditions have not been consistently linked to the syndrome and their treatment has had little impact on burning mouth symptoms. Studies have pointed to the dysfunction of several cranial nerves associated with taste sensation as a possible cause of burning mouth syndrome. Some effective treatments for patients include low dosages of benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, or anticonvulsants, and topical capsaicin (American Family Physician 2002;65:615). Read More...

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth refers to the perception of oral dryness, usually due to the lack of normal salivary secretions. Millions suffer from "Dry Mouth"! It is a common problem and a growing problem. It not only impairs general health, but may also dramatically affect the quality of life. Xerostomia or dry mouth comes from a reduced flow of saliva. We have all experienced some degree of dry mouth. Normal dry mouth commonly occurs in the morning when we wake as our saliva flow decreases when we sleep. Saliva is produced by 3 main salivary glands and many minor salivary glands that are scattered throughout the mouth. Dry mouth occurs when these glands do not function properly. Read More...

Sinusitis

More than 37 million Americans suffer from at least one episode of acute sinusitis each year. The prevalence of sinusitis has soared in the last decade due to increased pollution, urban sprawl, and increased resistance to antibiotics. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the membrane lining of any sinus, especially one of the paranasal sinuses. Acute sinusitis is a short-term condition that responds well to antibiotics and decongestants; chronic sinusitis is characterized by at least four recurrences of acute sinusitis. Either medication or surgery is a possible treatment. Read More...

Post Nasal Drip

Post nasal drip is an unscientific term that refers to the sensation of thick phlegm in the throat, which can become infected. It is annoying because normally the throat is moistened by the nasal secretions and throat mucous glands. This is part of the mucous - nasal cilia system that defends us from disease. When the amount of liquid secreted by the nose and sinus is reduced, and the cilia of the nose and sinus slow down, the fluid thickens and you become aware of its presence. Since the thick phlegm associated with post nasal drip is unpleasant and often infected because it is "just laying there" and not moving, our bodies naturally try to get rid of it, to the annoyance of our partners. Whether post nasal drip is caused by pollution, chemical exposure, or severe infection, the treatment requires that the cilia mucous system be brought back to normal. Read More...