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Digesting the facts

Are you at risk for stomach cancer? There is really no way to know for sure if you are going to get stomach cancer. Certain risk factors may make you more likely to get it than another person. However, just because you have one or more risk factors does not necessarily mean you will get…
Q&A on preterm labor

What are the facts about preterm labor and births? Preterm birth is defined as those infants delivered prior to the completion of 37 weeks of an expectant mother’s pregnancy. Preterm birth occurs in approximately 12 percent of pregnancies. Preterm births occur spontaneously in the following cases: 40 percent after preterm labor 35 percent after preterm…
Why the HPV Vaccine?

Every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer worldwide Cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine have entered the political debates around the country as well as discussions in the household. The current media firestorm surrounding the HPV vaccine has caused parents to question whether this new vaccine is right for their kids, or where…

The “Ripe” Time for Cataract Surgery

Whenever I tell a patient that he or she has cataracts they immediately ask if they need to have surgery. We start thinking about cataract surgery whenever the patient’s quality of life is affected. Common complaints include, “I can’t read road signs,” or “I can’t read the writing on TV,” or “I can’t read small…
A Cautionary Tale for Frequent Biting, Grinding, or Clenching

Biting and chewing your food. It’s something we do every day and without thinking. That’s why when most people have biting issues— where they bite the inside tissue of their mouth— they usually don’t think beyond the few minutes of pain and discomfort it causes. However, frequent biting (as well as grinding and clenching) can…
Oral Cancer Awareness Month

The month of April is considered National Oral Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States for 2019 show that about 53,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer and an estimated 10,860 will die of these cancers. Lip and…