Every year, about 53,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with oral cancer. Oral cancer is unfortunately associated with a high death rate, with 60% of people living less than five years after diagnosis, and approximately 9,000 people dying from its complications annually. Many others who are diagnosed with oral cancer undergo extensive surgeries that leave them with disfigurement and difficulties eating and speaking. Risk factors for oral cancer include smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, and a new trend that has shown a high association with HPV (human papillomavirus). Early detection and timely treatment are key for the best long-term survivability of oral cancer. In fact, cases that are diagnosed with early detection are associated with an 80% survival rate.

Things that you should look for at home include:

• Any sore or ulcer that does not heal within 14 days
• A painless, firm, fixed lump on the outside of the neck that has been there for 14 days or longer
• Numbness in the tongue or elsewhere in the mouth
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• A persistent feeling, like something is caught in your throat
• A white or red patch with an irregular border, on the gums, tonsils, or on/under the tongue

The common theme is to look for abnormalities that are persistent and do not go away on their own. If you ever have any concerns, always reach out to your team at Queen City Dental Arts. We are more than happy to help you assess anything that you might notice. We do perform oral cancer screenings at every hygiene visit and exam, and we always offer the use of the (VELscope® Enhanced Oral Cancer Assessment System) as a way of promoting early detection.

Click the following link for further information from the Oral Cancer Foundation – April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month 2023 Oral Cancer Foundation | Information and Resources about Oral Head and Neck Cancer.

As always, Dr. Stenvall and the QCDA team are here to help you to keep you and your mouth as healthy as possible!

The post Essential Insights And Prevention For Oral Cancer Awareness first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.

In the mid-1800s, dental drills were powered by foot pedals, and the first electric handpieces weren’t patented until the late 1800’s. Through multiple improvements over the years, our electric handpieces now use an air turbine and can spin up to 180,000 rpm! You may remember your dentist growing up having to pedal his handpiece and can appreciate all of the changes over time.

With all of the advances that we have seen recently, dentistry has become efficient, precise and virtually painless. Read the full history of dental handpieces here: Here.

At Queen City Dental Arts, our skilled dentist, Dr. Meghan Stenvall and her team are dedicated to helping you and your family receive the quality dental care you need in Charlotte, North Carolina. Please give us a call today at 704-542-6533 if you have any oral health concerns or would like to schedule a dental appointment.

The post January Is Dental Drill Day first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.

Well, that may not be exactly how we remember the famous Christmas poem, but you get the idea! However it is said, we would like to wish you and your family a wonderful, healthy holiday season. Our team at Queen City Dental Arts looks forward to seeing you and your smiling faces in 2024!

The post Merry Christmas From Queen City Dental Arts first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.

There are lots of jobs that a tongue does that we don’t think about on a daily basis. It is comprised of anywhere between 2,000 and 10,000 taste buds, which help us to taste things that are sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami (or savory). The tongue then sends those signals to the brain, allowing us to recognize different tastes. Have you ever had a cold and couldn’t taste your food properly? That’s because taste and smell are closely connected so our taste buds don’t work as well when we can’t smell. Can you imagine not being able to taste all the time? It would probably be easier to eat healthier If kale tasted the same as Oreos, but different tastes and flavors give pleasure to eating different foods, which is what makes food so enjoyable.

Besides taste, the tongue is important for chewing, swallowing, speech and making saliva. Our tongue is a voluntary muscle, which means we can control the movement of it. Some people (only about 15% of us) have the ability to twist their tongues into a cloverleaf, and about 84% of us can curl our tongue. Don’t feel badly if you can’t do either- it’s completely genetic whether you can do these things or not!

So next time you eat, talk or taste, remember to thank your tongue for helping! If you would like to schedule a visit or speak with our Queen City Dental Arts team in Charlotte, North Carolina, call 704-542-6533 today. Our skilled dentist, Dr. Meghan Stenvall is happy to assist you with all of your dental health needs!

The post Tongue Talk: Fun Facts About Your 8-Muscle Organ first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.

Whether it’s from a past bad experience or just simply a fear of dental offices, the fear of dental work is a common obstacle for many people to overcome. In fact, 60% of people are afraid of coming to the dentist, and about 9% have a true phobia. Like Bob, we often see this fear prevents people from coming to the dentist until they are in pain and have a dental emergency. Fortunately, dental phobia can be overcome, and you can enjoy better dental health without dreading your trips to the dentist.

Some tips to overcoming your dental fear include:

1) Make sure to express your concerns to your dentist and their team. Identify what it is that you’re afraid of. Are you scared of needles? Pain? Both!? We promise we won’t find your fears silly. In fact, we probably can relate! A good dental team will listen and help to put your fears at ease. If we know your fears ahead of time, we can support you and help to make you comfortable during your treatment, whether by scheduling extra time to allow for breaks or by providing you with a blanket and headphones if it’s the sound of the dental drill that bothers you.

2) Visit the dental office before your appointment. We’d love to meet you and take time to talk to you about any concerns you may have regarding your dental treatment. This way, we can be prepared on treatment day to help support you through your appointment.

3) Schedule appointments first thing in the morning. This way, you don’t have all day to think about it. Also, nerves may be frazzled by the end of a stressful work day, which may cause increased anxiety about an already stressful appointment looming in the future. We do our best to see patients at appointment time, but there is always the possibility of us running behind schedule.

Scheduling in the morning ensures less time waiting in the office as we won’t be running behind first thing in the morning. A big part of overcoming dental fear is by trusting your dentist and their team. Whether it’s been six months or six years, Dr. Stenvall and her team at Queen City Dental Arts can promise you a judge-free visit. We offer you a caring, compassionate and welcoming environment with treatment options and a listening ear. Give us a call at Queen City Dental Arts to discuss any questions you might have about reclaiming your oral health!

The post Lions and Tigers and… Going to the Dentist! Oh My! first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.

Sometimes, a tooth with a cavity can be sensitive to cold temperatures. This is because a cavity is a weakened part of the tooth, and the nerve is less protected, making the nerve more sensitive to temperatures fluctuations.  You may also notice sensitivity to sweet foods or drinks.  If you are noticing sensitivity to hot foods and drinks, the cavity may be so deep that it is damaging the nerve.

Another way to tell if you may have a cavity is to look for white or brown spots on your teeth or visible pits or holes.  The longer a cavity is present on a tooth, the bigger it gets and a tooth may chip or break over time.  It is always better to restore or “fix” a cavity when it is small so that less tooth is removed in the process.

Of course, these symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have a cavity.  If you are ever concerned or if you are starting to notice any of these things, our Queen City Dental Arts team is always happy to take a look. Our skilled dentist, Dr. Meghan Stenvall in Charlotte, North Carolina, is happy to help you and your family with all of your dental health concerns. Please call 704-542-6533 to speak with a caring member of our team to schedule a visit.

The post Do You Know the Common Symptoms of Tooth Decay? first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.

Our Queen City Dental Arts team is here to help your child’s smile develop properly for a healthier smile down the road. Our dedicated dentist, Dr. Meghan Stenvall is more than happy to evaluate your child’s dental health in Charlotte, North Carolina, and provide the dental care they need to keep their primary teeth healthy and in place. Please us a call today at 704-542-6533 with any questions or concerns you have regarding your child’s growing smile!

The post Why “Fix” Baby Teeth? first appeared on Queen City Dental Arts.