The Velscope is a revolutionary handheld device that provides dentists and hygienists with an easy to use adjunctive mucosal examination system for the early detection of abnormal tissue. It is based on the direct visualization of tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that occur when abnormalities are present. Fluorescence is an optical phenomenon that is manifested as glowing light. We observe it every day in the energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs that are used in many households and glow sticks  that are often used in emergency situations.

The Velscope hand piece emits a safe blue light into the oral cavity that excites the tissue from the surface of the mucosa through to the deeper layers (where premalignant changes typically start) causing it to fluoresce. The clinician is then able to immediately view the different fluorescence responses to help differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue. In fact, the Velscope is the only noninvasive adjunctive device clinically proven to help discover occult oral disease (occult in medicine means of a disease or process not accompanied by readily discernible signs). Typically healthy tissue appears as a bright apple green glow while suspicious regions are identified by a loss of fluorescence, which thus appear dark.

In one or two minutes with no rinses or stains required a Velscope examination helps oral healthcare professionals assure their patients the standard of care for oral mucosal screenings has been utilized. The first step in any oral cancer exam would include the white light exam in which the dentist or hygienist looks for lesions in the oral cavity with the naked eye and uses palpation to feel for any lumps in the neck or face.

The second step would be the Velscope exam, which allows the clinician to immediately review the different fluorescence signatures from the oral tissue to help differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue, abnormal tissue typically appears as irregular dark areas and stands out against the otherwise normal green fluorescent pattern of surrounding healthy tissue.

This technology thus helps dental practitioners identify potentially dangerous growths that might have been missed with the naked eye and the exam takes only 2 to 3 minutes. If the clinician does detect anything of concern during the Velscope exam the next step would likely be a surgical biopsy. Only when the results of the biopsy are read by a pathologist can the condition of the tissue be diagnosed. In the worst case the diagnosis could be oral cancer, but in most cases diagnosis will be precancer or some other much less serious form of abnormality.

Cancer in the head and neck region is very difficult to treat and does not have a good prognosis, unless it is caught early. It is very difficult for a patient to see inside their own mouths to detect abnormalities. Unlike breast self exams or other changes that occur on the skin that can alert the patient that something could be wrong, oral cancer is generally never detected by the patient first. Early stages of oral cancer can be cured, but most are not detected early and by the time symptoms occur chances are the cancer may have already begun to spread. Of course we all know the risks factors for oral cancer such as the use of tobacco products and alcohol abuse, however 25% of patients who present with oral cancer have never smoked.

Ask your dentist to get a Velscope if he does not have already have one, and especially if you are in the high risk group. If you live in the San Antonio area you can see my husband Dr. Edward Camacho at Cosmetic Dentistry of San Antonio in our new modern and truly state of the art office that will be opening soon!  He has been in practice for almost 30 years and specializes in cosmetic dentistry including veneers and Invisalign (invisible removable braces).He also does all phases of general dentistry and has patients in all age ranges. Contact 210-379-2222 for more information or go to www.cosmeticdentistryofsa.com  Our site is still under construction so bear with us!

To get a little more technical, oral byproducts enter the bloodstream and trigger the liver to make substances that inflame arteries and may cause blood clots that clog arteries leading to strokes and heart attacks. One of the substances that the liver makes in response to these bacteria and their byproducts is something called C Reactive Protein (CRP). Elevated CRP is a known risk factor for heart disease. You might want to ask your doctor to run a CRP blood level. Periodontal treatment is now part of the protocol when treating patients who have heart disease; the lucky ones anyway. Heart disease is still the number one killer (over 35% of deaths are from heart and heart related disease; from 2006 statistics).

What exactly is Periodontal disease? Periodontal (perio literally means around the tooth) disease destroys the fibers and supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth and the teeth begin to get loose and eventually fall out. Once you have lost that bone there is no way to get it back. It is estimated that 75% of people at some point will suffer periodontal disease. Since my background is in dentistry, my awareness level on this is very high. Everyday that I treated patients, I saw someone who had periodontal disease and who regretted not getting regular check-ups so that it could have been detected earlier.

The problem with oral disease ( both decay and gum disease) is that it never hurts until it progresses to more advanced stages. Typically, I would hear that they were too afraid to come to the dentist or that they could not afford to. Personally, I would rather confront a couple of cleanings a year than having to have my chest sawed open! As far as the financial aspect, I think that most people could afford a couple of cleanings a year (average cost without dental insurance is around $150 for a cleaning, exam and x-rays). One coffee a week at your local popular coffee chain is about $192 a year and I know that most people are frequenting similar places probably more than once a week.

Obviously, gum disease is not the only risk factor but it is enough to have doctors and surgeons incorporate oral health as part of their treatment protocol. Periodontal disease is also linked to failure of hip replacements. In fact, you have to have a clean bill of oral health before you can have hip replacement surgery. Also, people who keep their own teeth live on an average of 10 years longer!

If you live in San Antonio, my husband Dr. Edward J Camacho, is an excellent dentist. He is very good at handling patients who are fearful. He has been practicing since 1980 and attented the Health Science Center right here in San Antonio. He is also a graduate of Central Catholic High School. He is very experienced in all phases of general dentistry including cosmetic, invisalign (invisible braces) and periodontal management. He was also voted to "America's Top Dentists" by Consumer's Research Council of America. You can book an appointment at Cosmetic Dentistry of San Antonio our new, modern and truly state of the art office that will be open soon! For more information, call 210-379-2222. You can visit our site at  www.cosmeticdentistryofsa.com Our site is still under construction so please bear with us!

Healthy teeth and gums are essential to your overall health so get your teeth cleaned and checked regularly. Your heart will thank you for it. Now, if you will excuse me I am going to go brush and floss my teeth!