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About 35,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. Although
risk factors include smoking and alcohol, many people with the disease have no risk factors.
Regular dental visits can help detect oral cancer at its
earliest - and most treatable - stage. Be sure to contact your dentist if you notice white or red patches in your mouth; a sore in your mouth that will not heal; loose teeth; difficulty or pain when swallowing; difficulty wearing dentures; a lump in your neck or cheek; or pain in the mouth that doesn’t go away. For more about oral cancer, see our
Oral Cancer Awareness video and the
Oral Cancer section of the “Oral Health & Wellness” area of our Web site.
A recent report issued by the Pew Center on the States gave New Jersey an “F” for policies that fail to address the dental health needs of children, particularly those in low-income areas and households. In 2010 the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation granted more than $1 million to support oral health education in schools, fund clinics in underserved low-income areas, and provide scholarships to help low-income students enter the field. Although our grants help, we can’t solve the problem alone. See the
Foundation’s blog post for more from the report and what the Foundation is doing to raise awareness of the problem and contribute to the solution.
Despite it being one of the snowiest weekend days of the year, nearly two dozen employee volunteers were determined to make the annual oral health education event at Liberty Science Center a rousing success. About 3,000 children from pre-school through high school attended the February 28 event. Employees staffed eight interactive booths, plus the special “Ask the Dentist” booth, which connected parents with participating dentists for guidance on family dental health issues. Children’s Dental Health Awareness Day is one of many health and educational activities sponsored throughout February by Delta Dental, including
Give Kids a Smile Day and
Captain
Supertooth.
Get ready to hit the links and help a good cause! The Twentieth Annual Delta Dental Classic supporting
Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) takes place on Wednesday, June 30, at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, NJ. SONJ is a nonprofit organization that provides sports training and athletic competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The Delta Dental Classic has raised more than $714,000 for SONJ since 1991.To register or inquire about making a donation, please e-mail
jappaluccio@deltadentalnj.com.
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