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The community health awareness group Oral Health America has reported that 82 percent of adults are unaware of the role that infectious bacteria can play in tooth decay or cavities, and almost three out of five children aged 12 to 19 have tooth decay. Since June is National Smile Month, Dr. Bill Whitley and our team at Whitley Family Dental thought we’d remind our patients about the importance of good oral hygiene visits between office visits.

To keep your family’s smiles healthy and beautiful for years to come, be sure to:

• Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
• Floss every day to clean between your teeth
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
• Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks
• Visit Dr. Bill Whitley for scheduled appointments

If you want to know more about healthy home care habits, feel free to ask our team at your next appointment, or ask us on Facebook!

When it comes to dads, it seems as if there isn’t anything they can’t do. From the very beginning they love us unconditionally, become our first teachers, steady us during our failures, and provide valuable fatherly advice. Fathers are so important in our lives and with Father’s Day right around the corner, we thought we’d take a moment to celebrate just how special they are!
This Father’s Day is especially meaningful to Dr. Bill and his wife Tamara. Dr. Bill will spend Father’s Day taking his son to Drum Major Camp. Most importantly, both Dr. Bill and Tamara will take time to reflect on both their fathers who have passed away this year. Dr. Bill and Tamara believe that fathers are so influential as they are the leaders of the family unit and set the foundation for family values.
One of Dr. Bill's favorite memories of his father was when he took Dr. Bill to Canon City, Colorado. They stayed at the Park Lane Motel, ate at Merlino's Belvedere, and drove along the Skyline Drive at sunset. Tamara's cherishes the memory of her father attending all of his grandson's, Nick, school events! Both Dr. Bill’s and Tamara’s fathers believed that family mattered most. Dr. Bill’s father made his way back to him after a 16-year absence. Tamara loved the way her father loved her mother for almost 65 years during their time together before his death.
Fathers play a large role in who we become, Dr. Bill inherited the love of books - especially Ian Fleming's "James Bond" series from his dad. Tamara inherited her detail oriented, perfectionism from her dad. If Dr. Bill and Tamara could each describe their fathers with one movie Dr. Bill would choose “Let it Ride” because his dad threw caution to the wind. Tamara’s father would be “Dances with Wolves” because it was one of the only movies he ever actually watched in a theater!
We hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day celebrating all the amazing fathers out there! Have a great rest of the month!

Cancer has become a common word, and it seems like there is new research about it every day. We know antioxidants are important. We know some cancers are more treatable than others. We know some lifestyles and habits contribute to our cancer risk.

Smoking increases our risk of cancer, as does walking through a radioactive power plant. But there is a direct link to oral cancer that you many may not know about—the link between HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and oral cancer.

This may come as a shock because it has been almost a taboo subject for some time. A person with HPV is at an extremely high risk of developing oral cancer. In fact, smoking is now second to HPV in causing oral cancer!

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, “The human papilloma virus, particularly version 16, has now been shown to be sexually transmitted between partners, and is conclusively implicated in the increasing incidence of young non-smoking oral cancer patients. This is the same virus that is the causative agent, along with other versions of the virus, in more than 90% of all cervical cancers. It is the foundation's belief, based on recent revelations in peer reviewed published data in the last few years, that in people under the age of 50, HPV16 may even be replacing tobacco as the primary causative agent in the initiation of the disease process.” [http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/]

There is a test and a vaccine for HPV; please discuss it with your physician.

There are some devices that help detect oral cancer in its earliest forms. We all know that the survival rate for someone with cancer depends greatly on what stage the cancer is diagnosed. Talk to Dr. Bill Whitley if you have any concerns.

Please be aware and remember that when it comes to your own health, knowledge is power. When you have the knowledge to make an informed decision, you can make positive changes in your life. The mouth is an entry point for your body. Care for your mouth and it will care for you!

Memorial Day is not only a federal holiday in the United States, but it is a day of observance and remembrance of those who died in service. Originally known as Decoration Day, this solemn day has been marked on calendars since the end of the American Civil War as a day to commemorate both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died in the war.

Marking the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, or other tokens has been practiced throughout history, but it wasn't until the mark of the end of the Civil War that a special day was decided upon as the one to spend in remembrance. By 1890, every state in the country was observing Decoration Day. It wasn't until 1967 when the name formally changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day, in order to encompass all fallen American soldiers in all wars and conflicts. In June of 1968, Congress moved the official date of Memorial Day to the last Monday in May in order to create a three day weekend.

Today, while there is certainly an air of remembrance on Memorial Day, it has become more a day of spending time with family, friends, and other loved ones. This day is also heralded as the start of summer, with many schools finishing for the year around this time. Our team at Whitley Family Dental remembers it as a day to take solace and remembered those lost.

Traditional observances of Memorial Day are still held, and they often involve raising the American Flag then lowering it to a half-staff position until noon, and then raising it once again to its full height afterwards. The flag is lowered to remember those who've lost their lives while in service to their country, and then it is raised to signify our willingness to not let their sacrifice be in vain.

From community parades in the Dallas area, backyard cook-outs, and fireworks to formal ceremonies, Memorial Day is commemorated in many different ways. No matter how you choose to spend this day, take a moment to remember those who've lost their lives in an effort to preserve our freedom.