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Come and See Us When You Need an Oral Health Issue Diagnosed | Issaquah Dentist

When we speak of oral health, we are not simply referring to your teeth. We are also talking about your gums, lips, inside of your mouth (roof and sides) and your uvula (the little punching bag in the back of your throat). Many people do not realize that we, your dentists, are the first line of defense against many health problems you could have.

Dentists are trained to spot many conditions and diseases because many have symptoms that start in the mouth. Several cancers, for example, will show symptoms in your mouth first. There are childhood diseases that show up as spots inside the cheeks or turn your throat strawberry red, like strep throat.

Oddly, though dentists are trained to look for some of the things doctors are trained to look for, doctors are not trained to look for dental problems. Some diseases manifest themselves with a smell, for example, diabetes can smell fruity and kidney problems can leave you with sweet breath. Oral thrush can be the first symptom of HIV that is noticed. If you are anemic you don’t have enough iron, so your gums, lips, and tongue may be pale.

Diabetes shows up in the mouth with gums that are swollen or sore. If you are diabetic and untreated, you may notice that you get cold sores, have excessive dry mouth or you may develop fungal yeast infections or oral thrush. We can spot the signs and will discuss them with you.

If you have HIV, it may show up in your mouth first. You may get recurrent cold sores. You experience dry mouth and you could develop warts from the human papillomavirus. Celiac disease is yet another common illness that dentists find. It could manifest itself as a dry, burning feeling on your tongue and it can also show up as problems with the enamel on your teeth.

Dentists can also see cancer in your mouth. Most particularly we can see head, neck, mouth, and throat cancers. They could show up as swollen glands or sores near the cheeks. We also look for any abnormal red or white spots in your oral cavity as these too, could be signs of cancer.

For more information about dental examinations, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Types of Oral Cancer Screening Tests | Issaquah Dentist

There are many important reasons to keep up with your regular dental exams, and oral cancer screening is one of the most important.

Everyone should have regular oral cancer screenings, but if you smoke, drink regularly, spend a lot of time in the sun, or have a history of oral cancer, you will be at a heightened risk for this disease. Fortunately, there are screening methods that can detect problems early.

Basic Oral Cancer Screening Test

Our basic oral cancer screening tests involve a thorough look at the inside of the mouth. This includes the lips, gums, tongue, and all sides of the mouth. In some cases, we may feel around the inside of the mouth to look for bumps or lumps, and we will also examine for changes in color or spots. At times, we may also utilize a mouth rinse with a blue dye, which further highlights any suspicious cells.

Advanced Oral Cancer Screening Test

Should we notice anything unusual, we will work with you to determine the best way to proceed. We may have you return to the office in a few weeks to see if anything has changed. In some cases, we will suggest a biopsy, removing a small piece of tissue from the area of concern and sending it to a lab for further testing.

Keep in mind that not all areas of concern or further testing turn out to be cancerous. In fact, few of them do, but in the event that cancer is detected, catching the problem early will give you more treatment options and the greatest chance for a successful outcome.

It is crucial that you keep up with your regular appointments with us so that we can monitor your mouth for any potential problems. Give us a call today to set up your next screening.

For more information about oral cancer screenings, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Top Reasons Intraoral Cameras Improve Your Oral Health | Issaquah Dentist

Have you ever wondered why we sometimes stick a thermometer sized tube inside your mouth, and then turn away to stare at a computer monitor while fiddling with it, instead of watching you?

It isn’t out of rudeness or lack of compassion, but rather that technology has advanced to the point that our own eyes are not always the best for probing your mouth. For those deep, precise examinations of every nook and cranny inside of your mouth, we break out the intraoral camera.

With Great Power Comes Great Resolution

One of the major reasons why we use these cameras is because they are adroit at maneuvering inside of your mouth and revealing what they see, far better than our own fingers, tiny mirror, and eyeballs. With an intraoral camera, we can check for a suspected fracture and see exactly how deep it runs down the tooth, and immediately begin preparing our treatment plan.

Rather than press around uncomfortably on diseased or injured gums, we can just point the camera in the direction and see exactly where the disease is, what stage it is at, and anything that may not have been apparent during the routine exam. This saves you time, comfort and allows us to focus our attention on providing care, when before we would still have to spend more time diagnosing the root of the issue.

Lastly, it helps provide comprehensive care, by allowing us to see places we might normally not check on first pass, detect issues too small to be easily seen with the naked eye, and provide an easier way to document and keep records of discoveries during your care, for this and future visits..

All in all, intraoral cameras are a marvelous piece of technology that has revolutionized and streamlined oral care, allowing us to see patients and treat them more efficiently during every visit. If you are interested in knowing more about the device or would like to confirm it will be in use during your next visit, give us a call and speak to us about the tools we use to provide the best possible care for you and your mouth!

For more information about intraoral cameras, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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What We Look for Specifically During Dental Exams | Issaquah Dentist

Most people take their trip to the dentist for granted. They go in with the hope that they will hear they have no cavities and they will walk away with a new toothbrush and an appointment to return in 6 months.

They do not really pay attention to what we are doing during the exam and the rest of their appointment. It is not a bad thing to learn about if you want to improve your oral health.

Before the Exam

While most people think that the most important work we do is during the actual exam, the work we do before that is just as important. We start out by looking at the history we have for our patients. This includes looking for any issues that could signal potential problems with oral health. We look at the risk factors to know what to pay attention to during the exam.

We also want to look at the x-rays and notes from previous exams. We are going to look to see if there are any changes that signal a potential issue.

During the Exam

During the exam we are looking for more than changes. We look for signs of any bacterial growth that could lead to a build-up of plaque. We also look at the positioning of the teeth and gums. We search for gaps and pockets that may form and can cause a problem.

We look for any discoloration of the teeth or spots on the teeth =that are a sign of tooth decay. We are looking for the same signs that a patient can look for at home that the health of their teeth and gums are at risk.

We also rely on x-rays to look at the structure of the teeth and gums. We are trying to spot problems before they become a bigger issue. Our goal is to make sure we can treat any issues as easily as possible.

The goal of our offices is to prevent problems before they occur. During an office visit, we will do this and then give you the treatments and tools needed for optimal oral health.

Contact our office today to schedule your next visit.

For more information about dental exams, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.