Northbrook Court Dental Associates Offers Oral Cancer Screening

Northbrook, Illinois – Northbrook Court Dental Associates (http://www.northbrookcourtdental.com) has announced it now offers oral cancer screenings. Thousands of Americans are diagnosed each year with oral and pharyngeal (throat) cancer. Both are life-threatening diseases. Early detection can result in less aggressive surgical procedures and increase treatment success.

“Most oral cancers are slow growing squamous cell carcinomas,” says Dr. Michael Vold, founder of Northbrook Court Dental Associates. “If the tumor is discovered when it is still small, it can usually be surgically removed.”

Oral cancer is caused by viruses such as the Human papillomavirus (especially HPV-16), as well as UV exposure, toxins or a diet with very little fruits or vegetables. Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption over the age of 50 can also lead to oral cancer. Sometimes the disease is the result of cancer that has metastasized in another part of the body.

Common signs of the disease include lesions, ulcers, lumps and red or white patches in the mouth. Oral cancer often causes difficulty chewing and swallowing, earaches, facial numbness and may even affect a person’s ability to speak. As the disease progresses, it can become increasingly painful, and produce sensations such as tingling and burning in the mouth and on the tongue.

According to Vold, a dentist can usually see or feel the cancer. The diagnosis is then confirmed by a tissue biopsy. Oral cancer treatments range from various surgical procedures to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

“We look for indicators of oral cancer every time a patient comes in for an exam,” says Vold. “Patients are also advised to contact our office if a lump or lesion in the mouth doesn’t go away in two weeks.”

For more information on oral cancer, speak with a Northbrook dentist at Northbrook Court Dental Associates, or visit the Northbrook dentistry office's website at http://www.northbrookcourtdental.com. To make an appointment for an oral cancer screening, call the office today at 847-272-2900.

About

Dr. Michael Vold has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin (1963), a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Northwestern University Dental School (1967) and a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law (1980). He served as a dentist in the U.S. Air Force and taught as an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois, College of Dentistry. Dr. Vold is a member of the American Dental Association and Illinois State Dental Society, as well as a recipient of numerous professional honors and awards.

Oral Cancer

By Dr. Michael Vold

Regular dental exams are an important part of oral health care. Visiting your dentist at least twice a year can prevent many future problems, including gum disease and tooth loss. During your visit, both your teeth and gums will be examined. Your dentist will also check the tissues in your mouth for signs of oral cancer. More than 42,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with oral or pharyngeal (throat) cancer.

Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cells form the main part of the outer layer of the skin. They can also be found in the lips, mouth and other types of body tissue.

Bodies have built-in processes that normally destroy any cancer cells that are created. When there is a breakdown in certain types of internal communications, it can result in DNA mutations. These changes can not only impact the cell’s ability to control its behavior, but also impede the body’s ability to get rid of the cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the result of uncontrolled cell growth. It can be caused by many factors, including viruses, radiation, UV exposure and toxins, in addition to excessive tobacco and alcohol use, and a diet that consists of very little fruits or vegetables. The disease can also occur due to metastasis from another cancer site in the body.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), version 16 has been determined to increase the risk of oral cancer. There are hundreds of papillomaviruses that produce skin warts. The virus is transmitted through sexual intercourse, and is considered the most frequently sexually transmitted disease. It can take many years from the time of infection for the virus to be clinically detected.

Signs of oral cancer include lesions, ulcers or lumps that do not heal within a few weeks. The cancer is usually small and pale colored. It can appear as white or red patches in the tissue of the mouth, behind wisdom teeth or the ear, as well as on the lip, tongue and inside the mouth.

Oral cancer symptoms typically involve tongue problems and difficulty swallowing, speaking or chewing, along with a persistent earache, facial numbness or hoarseness. In early stages of the disease, there is usually little to no pain. However, as the cancer progresses, it can cause sensations in the mouth and on the tongue, such as prickling, tickling, tingling and burning, as well as increased discomfort in the mouth.

Most lesions can be seen or felt by your dentist. A tissue biopsy is used to confirm the presence of cancer.

If the tumor is small, it will usually be surgically removed. Treatment can also include radiation and chemotherapy. There are several other types of oral cancer surgeries that can be performed depending on the extent of the cancer.

If you have lesions, lumps or skin discoloration on your tongue or in your mouth, schedule a dental exam with a Northbrook dentist who is skilled in oral dental surgery. Early detection of this life threatening disease can increase your chances of successful treatment.

Your Stem Cell Success Stories Can Help Bring Hope to Others

HopeCell.org Founders Invite Stem Cell Patients to Share Their Experiences and Successes

Los Angeles – HopeCell (http://www.hopecell.org), a connecting point for patients and free informational guide to stem cell therapy, is inviting patients to share their experiences with the benefits of stem cells. The website founders are interested in new or even old stories of stem cell benefits, which they will feature on their site to inspire patients with similar medical problems to continue to hope.

Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the human body and have the special characteristic of being able to divide and renew themselves for very long periods. In fact, stem cells were what originally grew all of your organs and body tissues before you were born. Beyond the treatments which are presently tried and proven (although not broadly known), ongoing research on stem cells is opening up still more vistas of possibility.

What can stem cells do? As an example, HopeCell.org co-founder Cass was herself on kidney dialysis and was told she would need a kidney transplant. After a short treatment using adult stem cells (taken from her own body), she successfully weaned off the dialysis and reports, “I continue to feel energetic...most important of all, I have my life back.” Her story can be read in full at http://www.hopecell.org/my-story/

“Historically, when major discoveries have occurred in medicine, it has sometimes taken many decades or even longer before they were widely implemented and became common knowledge,” says Cass. “We want to help overcome that cultural inertia both in the case of kidney stem cell therapy, which I have undergone so successfully, and in the case of other stem cell procedures as they are developed and tested. By sharing your own stem cell therapy review with other patients, through us, you will help raise awareness of these new possibilities.”

To contact Cass at HopeCell.org with your own success story or to ask her any questions, visit http://www.hopecell.org/contact-me/ To see a glossary of terms (stem cell definition and related words), visit http://www.hopecell.org/what-stem-cell/stem-cell-glossary/

HeartCell.org Invites Public to Share Experiences with Stem Cell Treatment

HeartCell.org Announces Open and Ongoing Request for Reviews of Stem Cell Clinics and Institutions

Los Angeles – HeartCell.org (http://www.heartcell.org), a free informational resource guide for cardiac cell therapy, is inviting patients to share their experience with the benefits of stem cells. The website founders are interested in the public’s stem cell therapy reviews and successes as well as any positive experiences the public has had with particular stem cell clinics or institutions, so these can be featured on the site.

A stem cell is the basic building block of the human body. Stem cells were originally what grew your heart before you were born (and all your other body tissue), and stem cells capable of growing new heart tissue reside in all of us. In cases where the usual procedures of bypass surgery and stents (tubular supports) have failed to make a marked difference on heart conditions, fully successful treatment may still be possible using stem cells.

HeartCell.org will help patients learn all they need to choose a qualified stem cell clinic, and in this mission they will be greatly helped by successes and feedback from those who have experienced heart stem cell therapy. Already HeartCell.org provides pages of information on heart stem cell procedures to enlighten patients and guide them toward solutions for their heart conditions.

“Although not yet broadly known, cardiac stem cell therapy is an important breakthrough in treating heart conditions,” says Cass, a stem cell treatment recipient and co-founder of HeartCell.org. “Other types of stem cells have been used to treat patients for decades by hospitals in the U.S. and around the world. Bone marrow transplants began over 50 years ago, succeeding in treating such conditions as leukemia by transplanting the blood-creating stem cells located in bone marrow. The enormous amount of research and clinical trials conducted in the past, and those that continue today, are paying off in real-life applications being used to help patients around the world.”

To contact HeartCell.org with your success story, or to ask for recommendations of clinics or for suggestions for your further research, email info@heartcell.org. To read more about cardiac cell therapy, visit http://www.heartcell.org/stem-cell-heart-treatment/. To see a glossary of terms (stem cell definition and related words), visit http://www.heartcell.org/what-is-a-stem-cell/stem-cell-terms/.

HeartCell.org does not give out medical advice and none of the information contained in it should be construed to be such. HeartCell.org makes no claims that stem cell treatment, nor any medical treatment, is a cure for any illness, disease or malady. HeartCell.org is strictly informational in nature and exists to help others research and better understand the possible benefits that can be derived from the safe, proper and effective use of stem cells.

The Beautiful Birch Tree

By Nancy Penrose

Birch trees are members of the Betulaceae family and Betula genus. Betulaceae trees also include hornbeams, hazels and alders. The name “birch” comes from an Indo-European word meaning “white, bright, to shine.”

Birch trees are deciduous trees with broad, simple leaves and fine-grained wood. The bark, which is typically light in color, can be easily removed from the tree. Birch trees grow well in acidic, well-drained soil.

The trees have many uses. Their wood is used in furniture-making, and extracts from the tree are used to make leather oil and cosmetics. The tree’s leaves, which have medicinal qualities, are used to make teas.

There are over 30 different kinds of birch, including several that are native to the Pacific Northwest, such as the paper birch (Betula papyrifera), water birch (Betual occidentalis) and whitebarked Himalayan birch (Betula utilis Jacquemontii), River birch (Betula nigra), Young’s weeping birch (Betula pendula) and cutleaf weeping birch (Betula pendula ‘Laciniata.’)

The most widely grown birch in this region is the Jacquemontii birch, a white-barked tree with a shallow root system. The Jacquemontii grows up to 40’ tall and 20’ wide. The tree’s leaves are wedge-shaped with serrated edges that turn yellow in the fall. The tree grows quickly, and can tolerate light shade but should be in well-drained soil.

The paperbark birch also has white bark, and grows up to 75’ high and 30’ wide. When the tree is young, its bark is a red-brown color. Like the Jacquemontii, the paperbark birch grows best in well-drained soil.

The bark of the water birch, also known as red birch, has a copper color, and can be grown as either a tree or a shrub. The river birch has showy, exfoliating bark that ranges in color from slivery gray to reddish brown/black depending on its age. The river birch is a fast growing tree that reaches heights of up to 80’ tall. It does not do well in the shade.

Young’s weeping birch is a small weeping tree that can be extremely wide for its size (up to 20’), but only grows up to 15’ tall. The tree’s trunk is considered an attractive garden accent during the winter. The cutleaf weeping birch grows much taller- up to 80’ – with a width of 30’. Both the Young’s weeping birch and cutleaf weeping birch have white bark.

Some birch are susceptible to aphids which cause the tree to drip sap. The Jacquemontii is the most resistant to the aphids and is a popular choice amongst homeowners and landscapers. Keeping your tree healthy is important. An unhealthy birch is more prone to disease and/or bugs. Proper tree maintenance includes mulching to protect the shallow roots and good irrigation for newly planted trees.

A white-barked birch like the Jacquemontii will stand out even more when several trees are planted together or the tree is placed in front of dark green foliage. They are also available in beautiful multi-trunk form.

If you plan to buy trees, consult a big trees specialist. A birch is a wonderful landscape tree that may be the perfect addition to your property. If you have birch trees and are concerned about pests, a big tree expert can also give you advice on how to protect your foliage.

Specimen Tree Salvaged From Demolition Site by Big Trees Inc.

Difficult Transplanting Project Successfully Completed By Tree Transplant Company

SEATTLE, WA: Big Trees Inc., (http://bigtreesupply.com/) a tree transplanting and tree nursery company in the Seattle area, recently completed a difficult transplant job of a contorted Filbert tree in South Bellevue. The tree was to be destroyed at a site slated for demolition, before Big Trees Inc. was called to assess the tree for the possibility of salvage. The company approved the site for a tree preservation project, and was able to successfully transplant the tree.

The tree was a 12’ tall, 2000 pound Filbert tree with a 10 inch trunk diameter and 10-12 foot canopy, a significant size for such a tree according to Big Trees Project Manager, Todd Holmes. Big Trees’ team faced a task compounded in difficulty by the tree’s contorted trunk, and a soon discovered landscape rock nestled into the tree’s root system. The tree’s rootball suffered slight damage at the removal of the landscape rock, but the transplant project team was able to safely transport the tree to the company’s nursery in Snohomish, Washington. Mr. Holmes is very hopeful that the tree adjusts to its new environment and recovers from the move.

Nancy Penrose, owner of Big Trees Inc., stated: “A tree like that should really not come in harm’s way. A good decision was made in salvaging it. Come next spring we expect the tree will be doing very well. The tree is an interesting specimen, for its size and distinctive shape. We’ll work to make sure it finds a fitting new home.”

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), located in Snohomish, WA, in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only can deliver young trees but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at http://www.bigtreesupply.com/blog/

Safety Inspector Warns On Signs of Foundation Damage

Foundation Expert Shawn Kyles Gives Indications of Foundation Damage In A Home

LOS ANGELES, CA: Julian Construction Inc., (http://julianconstruction.com/) a foundation construction and foundation repair company in Southern California, has issued a report on the signs of foundation damage in a home. The author of the report, safety inspector Shawn Kyles, provided guidelines for the visual inspection of a home.

Mr. Shawn Kyles has inspected over 15,000 structures, residential and commercial, and has worked with engineering firms and specialists in local building and safety departments. In his report he stressed that there were several signs of foundation damage, among them cracks in the floor or floor tiles, cracks in the interior or exterior walls of the building, sloping or uneven floors, trim or molding that isn’t aligned, and doors and windows that stick. Potential foundation problems can be caused by water leakage, expansive or contractive soil as well as other soil conditions.

The full report can be viewed here:
http://julianconstruction.typepad.com/julian-construction-blog/2012/06/recognizing-the-signs-of-foundation-damage.html

Julian De La Torre, owner and founder of Julian Construction, stated: “Homeowners need to be on the watch for foundation problems. They get worse the longer they go undetected and unhandled. What starts as a crack can lead to much more serious structural damage, and in the event of an earthquake it can mean the collapse of the building. So we encourage people to heighten their awareness of the condition of their homes and get regular inspections. By doing so, you are ensuring the safety of the structure and everyone there.”

Julian Construction owns its own company and is built on a “no middlemen” model – no salesmen, no subcontractors. When you work with Julian Construction you get the principals of the company and workers of Julian Construction under your home. The result is the highest quality work at affordable prices. They can be contacted by phone at 323 733-3377, by fax at 323 733-4477 or via their website, www.julianconstruction.com. You can see tips and advice about home foundations on their blog, at http://julianconstruction.com/blog/.