Ditch the chew and save your life

With the recent death of baseball legend Tony Gwynn due to oral cancer brought on by chewing tobacco, we are reminded that this is certainly not a safe alternative to smoking. The tissues of the mouth are very sensitive and respond to chemicals and injury by changing their structure. In severe instances the tissues can become cancerous. Smokers and users of smokeless tobacco are many times more likely to develop oral cancer than non users. Add alcohol to the mix and the likelihood of developing cancer is even greater. At Wayland Dental we check for oral cancer at each hygiene visit by inspecting the tissues under your tongue, sides of the tongue, back of the throat, palate, and lips. These are the most common areas where oral cancer can occur. Any ulceration that does not heal by itself within a week or any discoloration that concerns you should be checked by our professional staff. If you would like to read an article regarding oral cancer, click on this link: http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/07/viewpoint_the_time_to_change_t.html#incart_river