Dr. Matarazzo

If you aren’t convinced that chewing tobacco, spit tobacco and other forms of smokeless tobacco aren’t risk-free, consider the words of someone who’s seen the damage tobacco can do. Joe Garagiola, a former spit tobacco user, was a professional major league baseball player and later worked in broadcasting. After retiring from baseball he became a crusader against spit tobacco — the term he prefers since “smokeless” makes tobacco sound harmless.

“I chewed tobacco because it seemed to be the thing to do if you were playing baseball,” says Garagiola. “Everybody chewed when I was playing, and nobody knew the dangers of it.” But he’s seen the dangers since, losing three close friends to oral cancer and seeing the harmful effects of spit tobacco on other people.
“You won’t die of gum disease or yellow teeth, but develop oral cancer and it’s a terrible way to go,” Garagiola says. “Here you are with oral cancer from using spit tobacco, your jaw has been removed and you have to eat through a tube. You die one piece at a time. Spit tobacco is a horrible, horrible thing. I just wish I could get this message across to everyone.”

If you’re using smokeless tobacco, quit. Now that you know the dangers associated with it, you have extra motivation to give it up. Here’s what to do:

 Set a quit date. Mark your quit day on your calendar and commit to it. Select a day at least one week away so that you have time to prepare for your life as a former tobacco user.

 Talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor about your goal to quit using smokeless tobacco and ask for advice. Smokeless tobacco users have more success with quitting if they talk to a doctor or dentist about strategies for quitting.

 Get support. Join a support group in your area. Go online. Get help and support from people who understand what you’re going through. Free resources are available, so don’t worry about a financial cost.
Devise a plan to deal with cravings and know that cravings typically last only a few minutes. Eating licorice, chewing gum, going for a walk or calling a friend can help you get through them. And the interval between cravings increases the longer you’ve stopped using tobacco and eventually the cravings will go away.

We are happy to support anyone who is striving to quit and improve their lives and health.  We are happy to see anyone in need of dental work, please visit our site and fill out the form for a free complimentary consultation.

Chewing tobacco brings a tremendous amount of health risks with it.  We have outlined many of these health risks. 

Many of these may seem harmless, tooth decay, gum disease, addiction, etc.  As adults, we need to inform our children of dangers and warn them of the potential risks associated with practices that they may seem to think is “in.”  More and more teenagers are using chewing tobacco over smoking, because it is less obvious – some even use it in school. 

Today, we would like to outline the most important and dangerous health risk associated with chewing tobacco, and that is oral cancer.  Your risk of oral cancer is increased if you use smokeless tobacco. Oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth, throat, cheek, gums, lips and tongue. Surgery to remove cancer from any of these areas can leave your jaw, chin, neck or face disfigured.

Please tune in tomorrow for an interesting bit of advice from a former baseball player who was a heavy user of chewing tobacco.

We have covered some of the health risks that are associated with chewing tobacco.  These include tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, and addiction.  Here are a few more dangers.

Smokeless tobacco increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Some evidence suggests that it may put you at an increased risk of heart attack. People who use smokeless tobacco also have higher cholesterol levels than those who don’t use tobacco. And a study published in June 2007 in the medical journal The Lancet showed a connection between the use of one form of smokeless tobacco (snus) and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

In addition, people who use smokeless tobacco are more likely to develop small white patches called leukoplakia inside their mouths where the chew is most often placed. These mouth lesions are precancerous — meaning that the sores could one day develop into cancer. After stopping tobacco usage, the lesions usually go away in a few weeks or a few months.

Visit our site at www.drmatarazzo.com for other health risks.

Yesterday we discussed a health risk of chewing tobacco – gum disease and tooth loss.  However, another serious concern of using chewing tobacco is addiction.

Chewing tobacco gets you hooked on nicotine, similar to the way cigarettes do. And once you’re addicted, it becomes difficult to stop using chewing tobacco. Just as with smoking, withdrawal from chewing tobacco causes signs and symptoms such as intense cravings, increased appetite, irritability and depressed mood.

People who use chewing tobacco eventually develop a tolerance for nicotine and need more tobacco to feel the desired effects of the nicotine. Some people switch to brands with higher nicotine content and tend to use chewing tobacco more frequently the longer they’ve been using smokeless products. More severely addicted users may leave the chew in their mouths overnight and swallow the tobacco juices.

Tune in tomorrow for another health risk associated with chewing tobacco.  Visit our site at www.drmatarazzo.com
 

On Friday we spent time discussing chewing tobacco.  Many professional baseball players and managers use this everyday.  You don’t have to go far from our practice to see it.  Just watch a Red Sox game and look at manager Terry Francona.

We mentioned on Friday that this week we would spend some time discussing all of the dangers and health risks associated with chewing tobacco, as it seems that sadly many people seem to think that chewing tobacco is safer than smoking since the nicotine and smoke does not enter the lungs.  Over the next few days, we will outline the dangers of chewing tobacco for all those needing incentive to overcome this harmful habit.

Chewing tobacco and other forms of smokeless tobacco cause tooth decay. That’s because chewing tobacco contains high amounts of sugar, which contributes to cavities. Chewing tobacco also contains coarse particles that can irritate your gums and scratch away at the enamel on your teeth, making your teeth more vulnerable to cavities. The sugar and irritants in chewing tobacco and other forms of smokeless tobacco can cause your gums to pull away from your teeth in the area of your mouth where you place the chew. Over time you can develop gum disease (gingivitis) and possibly tooth loss.

Visit our site for a complimentary consultation.

You can call it what you want — smokeless tobacco, spit tobacco, chew, snuff, pinch, plug or dip — but don’t call it harmless. If you’re considering making the switch from cigarettes to chewing tobacco because you think the smokeless version of tobacco won’t hurt you, be forewarned — chewing tobacco also causes serious health problems. What’s worse is that our children who love baseball are persuaded to think that chewing tobacco is “cool”, as they see many of their favorite players or managers with a huge wad of chew in their mouth.
 
Smokeless tobacco is available in three main forms:

Chewing tobacco. This type of smokeless tobacco comes in loose leaf, plugs or twists. As the name suggests, it’s chewed.

Snuff. This product is available dry or moist, in loose leaf or in pouches that look like small tea bags. A pinch of snuff may be placed between the cheek and the gum or inhaled into the nostrils.

Betel quid. A product of India, Africa and Asia, betel quid is produced commercially or made at home. It consists of a dried paste that often includes tobacco, areca nuts, catechu, and scent or flavoring. Catechu is a plant-based product used to treat diarrhea and sometimes used for birth control in some parts of the world. Areca nuts are a plant-based product often used as a recreational drug. Betel is placed in the mouth, usually between the gum and cheek, and gently sucked and chewed.

Though the concept of chewing tobacco might conjure up images of a messy brown liquid spit out on the ball field, not all smokeless tobacco needs to be spit out during use. Tobacco companies have developed a friendlier version of chewing tobacco — a spitless tobacco — in an effort to convince more smokers to consider using smokeless products in places where smoking is prohibited.   However, this does not minimize the risk. 

Here at Dr. Matarazzo’s office, we are concerned with the problems that these products can have on your teeth.  Next week, we will discuss some of the health risks associated with chewing tobacco, since many seem to think that these dangers don’t exist.  Visit our site at www.drmatarazzo.com for more information.

Yesterday we discussed some of the causes of oral cancer, one of which was smoking.  Of course, this is a worst case scenario, and the reality is that smoking in general will have a tremendous amount of other effects on your teeth and health.  Smokers will encounter dental and gum problems.

The effects of smoking are that people who smoke a lot will certainly lose their teeth. Moreover, smoking initiates gums diseases. These gum diseases manifest swelling on the gum areas that finally lessen the strong teeth formation. It is in this stage that loss of tooth occurs.  Well some people argue that there is no relationship between the smoking and loss of teeth or gum problems. They further insist that actually inborn or innate in their genetic structure are responsible for these kind of dental problems. But their argument is totally wrong.  It has been already proved by the studies that smoking can cause dental problems. Many dental problems, especially gum problems are caused due to smoking. This is because smoking triggers the accumulation of bacteria in plaque.  Actually the gluey white material that builds up on our teeth whenever we don’t brush our teeth is the plaque, is already a major factor in dental problems. Moreover like a double jeopardy, the smoking helps in bacteria formation in plaque. So when bacteria already thrive within the gum area, which will lead to inflamed gum.  Moreover, this will have an effect on jaw, thereby, speeding up the loss of the teeth. If not, it will soon be extracted because it at this stage that the teeth will progressively get worse. The gum diseases are silent killers of your teeth.

Bottom line?  As if there weren’t enough reasons to consider smoking, tooth loss and gum disease is another reason that can be added to the list.  Here at Dr. Matarazzo’s office in Quincy, MA, we are happy to assist people in restoring their mouth.  Visit us for a complimentary consultation.

Oral cancer is a serious problem affecting many Americans.  It is said that approximately 7000 Americans die every year as a result of oral cancer.

Oral cancer is part of a group of cancers called head and neck cancers. Oral cancer can develop in any part of the oral cavity or oropharynx. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Almost all oral cancers begin in the flat cells that cover the surfaces of the mouth, tongue, and lips. These cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas. When oral cancer spreads (metastasizes), it usually travels through the lymphatic system. Cancer cells that enter the lymphatic system are carried along by lymph, a clear, watery fluid. The cancer cells often appear first in nearby lymph nodes in the neck. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the neck, the lungs, and other parts of the body. When this happens, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells as the primary tumor. For example, if oral cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually oral cancer cells. The disease is metastatic oral cancer, not lung cancer. It is treated as oral cancer, not lung cancer.
 
What are some of the causes of oral cancer?  Here are a few of the most common culprits:

Tobacco use (cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco) is responsible for most cases of oral cancer.

Alcohol, particularly beer and hard liquor, are associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer. The risk of developing oral cancer is higher in people who use both tobacco and alcohol. Avoiding or stopping the use of tobacco decreases the risk of oral cancer. It is not known if stopping the use of alcohol decreases the risk of oral cancer.

Sun exposure: Exposure to sunlight may increase the risk of lip cancer, which occurs most often on the lower lip. Avoiding the sun and/or using a sunscreen or colored lipstick on the lips may decrease the risk of lip cancer.

This helpful information is provided by Dr. Matarazzo at www.drmatarazzo.com
 

Sure, most people don’t like going to the dentist.  In fact, some people have phobias of receiving dental care.  The good news is, that trip you dread to the dentist may soon become a lot less painful thanks to some new technology.

Gone are the days when X-rays were the only way to see into your teeth. The latest tooth technology helps illuminate problems before the drill.   Researchers in Britain are developing a new tool to spot tooth decay before it begins.  A special microscope will be used that looks at chemicals and tells the dentist where the decay is forming.  One cosmetic dentist said of the use of these new tools that, “there are things that I would’ve fixed 10 to 15 years ago I don’t have to touch anymore.”

Researchers say that with the new technology, they can actually measure the amount of decay to a number, and thus determine if the tooth needs to be fixed or not.

Here at Dr. Matarazzo’s office, we are always striving to keep up with the newest in technology so as to make your visit to our office less stressful.  Visit us for a complimentary consultation.

Even elderly people need to take care of their teeth.  It seems that in our younger and middle age, we take pride in our teeth, and see the importance of caring for them.  However, it is amazing to see how older retired individuals become very complacent when it comes to dental care.  Sure, dental work can be very expensive, and some older ones feel that it isn’t worth the cost.  However, this isn’t the right way to look at it.  As we have stated many times in our blog, your dental health can have a direct bearing on your overall physical health as well.  So here are a few everyday things that can be done to keep your teeth in the very best condition:

• Brush at least twice a day especially in the morning and at bedtime.

• Make flossing a priority each day.

• Use mouthwash twice a day to kill germs in the mouth.

• Eat nutritiously, including plenty of calcium rich foods such as milk and cheeses.

• Visit the dentist regularly, even if dentures are a part of your life.

• Invest in dental insurance.

Good oral health affects your entire life. Your teeth are important to your good nutrition, your clear speech and your pretty smile. There are many online searches that can help identify affordable dental care at any age. Here at Dr. Matarazzo’s office, we are happy to see patients, regardless of their age.  Visit us now for a complimentary consultation.