Jay M. Marks, DMD, Danbury Dentist wants you to know that  Oral cancer is on the rise in the US.  In 2010, Douglas was diagnosed with stage IV oral cancer, a very advanced stage of the disease, after a tumor had been discovered at the base of his tongue. He underwent radiation and chemotherapy, and is now reported to be cancer free after a long and difficult battle.

In partnering with the foundation, Douglas intends to raise public awareness of the early recognition of symptoms related to the disease, avoidance of risk factors and the importance of annual screenings, according to the foundation.

"Michael is a highly visible, well-known actor, and a consummate professional. Those qualities, when coupled with his personal experience, yield a respected voice to this fight," Brian Hill, founder and executive director of the foundation, said.

Interesting stat:   Smokers are less apt to go to the dentist

According to a study by the CDC, smokers go to the dentist less often than non-smokers. They surveyed 16000 adults between 18 and 64.  More than a 1/3 said they had 3 or more dental problems  (more than double those of non-smokers).  20% said they had not been to a dentist in more than 5 years. THE MAIN REASON: COST.  

Do these people realize how much they spend on cigarettes. Interesting don't you think :-)

A recent small study examined the presence of bacterial DNA in synovial fluids of native or clinically aseptically failed prosthetic joints from patients having periodontal disease and arthritis to determine whether there is bacterial spread from the oral cavity to the joints. There were 36 subjects enrolled in the study, and among these, 11 were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 25 were diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA).  Eight patients with OA and 1 patient with RA had failed prostheses. Synovial fluid was aspirated from the affected hip or knee joint. Pooled subgingival plaque samples were collected, followed by clinical periodontal examination. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the collected synovial fluid and dental plaque samples were followed by polymerase chain reactions and DNA sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA genes.