This is the page to come to for the latest information about the office and issues related to dentistry and our office:
Does anyone get Oral Cancer?
I recently had this question from a patient asking why I do an oral cancer screening with every exam that a patient receives at our office. It was reported that “Top Chef” star Shirley Chung was recently diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer and she was going through treatment for it. Early detection is the key to a good outcome, so I will continue to screen all my patients.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/top-chef-star-shirley-chung-diagnosed-stage-4-tongue-cancer?intcmp=tw_fnc
Do you have unused meds?
When you are done with your medications, how do you dispose of them? Do you throw them in the trash, where people may pick them up and abuse them? How about flush them down the toilet, where they then travel to the ocean and pollute the sea life? The best way is to take them to a proper disposal location near you and an event is coming up soon, so be a good guy and dispose of your unused meds properly.
Tooth loss from Covid 19?
It was reported in the New York Times that there has been reported strange forms of tooth loss associated with Covid 19 infection. “Farah Khemili popped a wintergreen breath mint in her mouth and noticed a strange sensation: a bottom tooth wiggling against her tongue.” Her tooth eventually came out her mouth, without any bleeding. Other Covid 19 patients have reported similar dental problems after becoming infected. Message: Take precautions, wear a mask and social distance to prevent this potential problem.
For a PDF version of the article in the New York Times: Tooth loss complication from Covid 19
Dental Care in the Wake of Covid-19
This is uncharted times, what kind of dental care can you get during the Corona Virus Pandemic? The President and the CDC has asked if we could see only urgent dental visits. That means that we will see you or your family if you need to see us for a Dental Emergency. We will be there if you really need us, call us at 946-0442 if the need arrives. Things change so keep checking here.
This Happy Hippo gets his Check up:
The Hippo Dentist is in.
Some Great News! Check out the video:
The Terrible Association between some dental problems and cancer
Photo by Dr. Mark Krasna
The problem with all these associations is figuring out which came first the cancer or the gum disease? Unfortunately, it is unclear, but what is clear is this recent study that suggests that if you control for smoking and alcohol consumption some of the bacteria associated with gum disease seem to have an influence on those with Esophageal cancer. If you have not checked your gums within the last year, come see us, we will make sure you avoid the awful result of discovering it too late.
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/77/23/6777
How You Take Care of your Teeth Today will affect your future
One of the most important things you do today could affect your future. Neglecting problems today results in more complicated conditions in the future, the problem is that fixing them later becomes more and more a problem. At our office, I always am thankful for taking care of our Kupuna as they enter their “Golden Years”
they have a healthy mouth to keep them strong and happy. Sometimes we don’t think about the future because there is so much happening today, but being responsible for your health will pay you back in the future more than you will ever imagine.
Periodontal Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease
There has been disturbing associations between Periodontal (gum) Disease and various diseases, but none as distressing as its association with Alzheimer’s Disease. According to Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, a medical journal dedicated to Alzheimer’s Disease, a study was just published that associates the two. In fact, in people who suffer from Periodontal Disease, there is almost double the chance of getting Alzheimer’s Disease.
https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-017-0282-6
Here is a Cool Collage Posted by Dr. Howard Farran Showing that:
Dentistry made a big difference in the lives of these celebrities!
New Guidelines for Serving Juice to Infants
New guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics were recently made for serving juice to 
your infants, if your child is younger than one, don’t serve any juice. While fruit juice has many beneficial nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A and potassium it also has very high quantities of sugar. In addition, many juices contain high fructose corn syrup as an added sweetener, which may lead to Early Childhood Caries, better known as cavities and sometimes referred to as “Baby Bottle Syndrome”. From 1 to 6 years, 4 to 6 oz of juice per day is the maximum level of consumption or about 1/2 a can of juice. Whole fruits should be encouraged instead of juice. From 6 to 18 no more than 1 cup per day. I know it is a shift from what we think are “healthy foods” but now we should think of juice like we do about soft drinks like soda. Interestingly, the University of Michigan found that children were drinking too much juice back in 2012 and that they lower the family income, the higher the juice consumption. So now you can think of juice like you do about soft drinks and serve more whole fruits and water instead. Here are the links to more info:
Fruit Juice in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Current Recommendations
Too much of a good thing? Kids in low-income families drink more juice than recommended
Habits that you need to change today!
There are a number of habits that I am constantly reminding patients to stop right away. Mouthaware lists 6 habits to start but there are others, but the worst is chewing on ice here is the list:
http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/bad-habits?source=morninghuddle
The effects of chewing on ice can be painful in several ways, above you see a cracked tooth caused by chewing on ice, now the patient has pain while biting and while eating cold foods. The solution is usually crowning of the tooth, but you may need additional services like a root canal. So now is it worth it to chew on ice?
Be #Mouthaware!
It’s Oral Cancer Awareness month and it is important to do your own self check this poster displays. There are the areas in your mouth that you should take a look at to see if there are anything unusual periodically. Oral Cancer is at an all time high and it is hard to swallow. Increase use of tobacco, alchohol consumption and other bad habits can lead to higher oral cancer rates. If you see something unusual, come in right away, don’t fool around. http://www.nature.com/articles/bdjteam20162
The Ala Moana Mauka Wing Mural
Ever wonder where is
the Mauka Wing mural at Ala Moana Center by 808 Urban artists John “Prime” Hina and Laetitia Mahoney? Here is the hint, the old Nordstroms, here are some photos of the mural, and it looks like it would be perfect for people who want to stand in the blank parts like the butterfly body or the l in aloha. It’s worth a look when you come in next time!
This Sunday 8-14-16 we did a service project
Ala Moana is a big park and it needs help to keep it clean, so our office pitched in and did some hard work! But don’t worry, we had fun and a lot of good food as you see in the video, gotta keep your strength up! Click on the picture to see the video to see why we are smiling after working in the hot sun.
New! We Now Can Help Our Anxious Patients!
We are very excited to announce that we will be able to help our existing patients as well as new patients who are a bit squeamish about coming to the dentist. We now have a state of the art, Nitrous Oxide Sedation system in house! We use a new nasal hood that was just developed last year to provide our patients with the most comfortable experience, without bulky tubes like in the past. In the photo, the patient actually has a nasal hood on, but it is so small that you almost can’t see it. Compare this to the old school nasal hood that has been large and uncomfortable.
Come or call to find out if this is right for you, family member or a friend who may need some help in coming to the dentist.
Hawaii One of the States with the Highest Periodontal Disease Rate
This story really grabbed my attention, when the American Dental Association reported that the CDC said that Hawaii was in the top ten of states with the highest Periodontal Disease Rates in the US. This is one list that you don’t want to be on. This study done by the CDC is important because it is one of the few studies that looked at adult periodontal disease on a state and local level in the United States, and Hawaii was #2!
If you have kidney disease, don’t forget your dental appointment!
It has been reported in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology that people with kidney disease who also have gum disease have a higher chance of death than people who have kidney disease alone. People who have both problems have 41% mortality rate in 10 years, as compared to 32% for patients with kidney disease alone. The link of dental problems and your overall health is becoming more and more apparent.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/article/2000192572/survey-gum-disease-puts-patients-with-kidney-failure-at-more-risk
Brush and Floss Daily, especially post menopausal women
Wish I had some good news to share , but as usual, more bad news about Periodontal Disease especially for post menopausal women. In the American Association for Cancer Research website, it was posted that researchers at the University at Buffalo have found that there is an association between Periodontal disease and Breast Cancer. A woman with Periodontal Disease has 16 times higher risk than a woman without Periodontal Disease, and if she smoked in the last 20 years, the risk jumped to 36 times higher risk. Bottom line, don’t smoke and floss every day! http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2015/12/12/1055-9965.EPI-15-0750.abstract
Have a Happy Holiday, Brush and Floss
I hope everyone is having a Happy Holiday! We are in the midst of family and office parties, and all the “goodies” that comes with the holidays, let me be the first to remind you to take care of your precious teeth. Here is a very good reminder of the most common mistakes that people make while brushing and flossing.
