Recap – Chat With Dr. Jack DDS

As you know, we recently had a guest chatter in the Live Quit Chat – Dr. Jack DDS.  We had a whole slew of quitters in chat that evening asking their dental questions about teeth cleaning, cancer and general oral health.  It was a great opportunity to ask a dentist those tough “quitting questions” without a co-pay or without an office visit.

There were quite a few people that couldn’t join us live and I wanted to pass along some of the questions and answers that were asked and answered.

We’d like to once again thank Dr. Jack for taking time out of his schedule to spend an evening with us in chat.  Visit Dr. Jack’s practice online at www.lenihandental.com

And with that, I give you the transcripts of that evening in chat.  I’ve taken the liberty of pulling out most of the chat chatter to just display the questions & answers here.

NOTE: this is directly from the chat log… spelling/grammar has not been fixed.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:03:02 PM     chewie     Dr. Jack     have you started to see any cases of “snus” users come to you with dental issues?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:04:19 PM     Dr. Jack         Fortunately most pts that have quick also started to improve oral hygiene and their problems decreased!

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:05:14 PM     pista     Dr. Jack     where u located Jack?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:05:43 PM     Dr. Jack         Rural Northern kentucky…middle of burley belt!
2011-09-12     08:07:38 PM     Dr. Jack         snuff is huge…many kids start as young as 10 or so…right of passage…families make living growing tobacco.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:07:36 PM     chewie         a question i get asked often… was wondering if you can shed some light….
2011-09-12     08:07:40 PM     chewie         do gums “grow back” ?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:08:47 PM     Dr. Jack         Gums do not grow back…however the inflamation resolves, teh tissue is not as puffy and much healther..you can live with healthy receded gums.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:09:40 PM     davwilli         dr jack, why does it seem people notice problems in there mouths after quitting…
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:11:24 PM     Dr. Jack         They notice probs after quitting because they are paying attention. in my opinion. msot users do not go to dentist, they do not want to get lectured…I am too young to lecture people. In my office we educate.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:10:02 PM     steve1357         Dr. Jack, I have been quit for 50 days and need to schedule an appointment real soon. Is there anything specific I should ask my denist to check out?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:13:30 PM     Dr. Jack         You will want to let your dentist know you have quit..he should do a thorough exam. He should make notes aboout the condition of you soft tissue to compare to the next time he see you.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:15:25 PM     pista     Dr. Jack     whats the worst conditioin you’ve seen someone’s teeth in from dipping?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:18:08 PM     Dr. Jack         pista..wow, I have seen gum line cavities in every tooth in a guys head. His gums and cheeks were a mess. His teeth were nearly black on the gum line. We pulled all his teeth, had his soft tissue biopsied. It turned out well…however he still uses.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:18:37 PM     steve1357     Dr. Jack     Dr. Jack, are there any negative side effects to using “fake” herbal chew.
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:19:25 PM     Dr. Jack         I have not seen or researched any side effects to the herbals
2011-09-12     08:22:43 PM     chewie     steve1357     all the research i have read/seen says that the use of the “fake” stuff is no more dangerous than chewing gum, seeds, etc.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:19:06 PM     redtrain         Dr. Jack…..how many of your patients have or had more serious issues?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:21:05 PM     Dr. Jack         In 12 years, I have watched about 4-5 patients die of oral cancer(smoke and smokeless). I have seen 8-10 early stages that have been treated. I send a a patient a month to an oral surgeon for a biopsy.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:21:55 PM     Copehater         is there a time frmae where the threat goes away?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:22:27 PM     Dr. Jack         Copehater-I would say the tissue should return to full health in 18-24 months. Unfortunately, there is always a chance that cancer could pop up. But by quitting you decrease your cahnce at least 10 fold!

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:32:32 PM     franpro         so Jack, what is your thoughts on grafts?
2011-09-12     08:36:07 PM     franpro         Dr. Jack what are your thought on grafts and restoring the gums
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:35:28 PM     Dr. Jack         franpro…grafts are fantasitc procedure. I rec them routinely
2011-09-12     08:42:36 PM     Dr. Jack         Franpro-I will rec gingival grafting. It will restore your gums to normal heights. Great idea if your teeth are sensitve due to exposed root surfaces.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:43:13 PM     franpro         is it a big proceedure?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:45:08 PM     Dr. Jack         Believe it or not donor site(roof of mouth) is more sore than surgurgical site. Sore for about a week.
2011-09-12     08:46:54 PM     Dr. Jack         Grafting is a solution/fix for receding gums. It does cover the root surface. Your teeth will NOT fall out. Gums protect the teeth, bone holds the teeth in place…wife is wrong

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:32:35 PM     leahy16         Dr Jack, have you been successful helping anyone quit dipping???
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:32:36 PM     Dr. Jack         I have seen people fall off the wagon after 2 years
2011-09-12     08:34:44 PM     Dr. Jack         leahy..I have helped a few patients. We should do better. We try to educate each time they come in. If we lecture they never come back

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:34:56 PM     klark         Jack what kind of educating do you do. I have never seen anopther dentist educate
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:37:37 PM     Dr. Jack         Our hygienists take intraoral pics..they hand the mirror to the patient and show them areas..we offer pamphlets and kill the can cards. I tell them to move the dip around. It make sthem think.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:43:03 PM     Aglawyer         I have a question. Is there any particular test or anything that a dentist should perform other than looking at your teeth for a former dipper?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:44:12 PM     Dr. Jack         Yes. We a oral cancer screening light called a Veloscope. If something looks suspicious under the veloscope it should go to a surgeon for biopsy.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:46:20 PM     Shadow         Dr.Jack, have you evr dipped ?
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:49:21 PM     Dr. Jack         Shadow-I dipped in high school and college. Was not a regular used but used

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:51:48 PM     Aglawyer         Dr. Jack. Stupid question. Why does it seem like there aren’t that many folks who get mouth cancer? But then when they do it is typically more aggressive than other forms? Or maybe I’m wrong in both respects.
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:53:53 PM     Dr. Jack         Aglawyer-Oral cancer accounts for less then 10% of all cancers. However, the 5 year prognosis for oral cancer is one of worst. That is b/c when it it found it is very invasive and spreading.

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     08:56:06 PM     Aglawyer         Dr. Jack. So odd thing. When I would dip (which was a lot and for many years) my jaws would hurt at night and in mornings. Now that I’ve stopped (47 days) that has passed. In my head or dipping caused that?
2011-09-12     08:56:59 PM     Aglawyer         When I say “in my head” I mean psychosomatic issue
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     08:57:36 PM     Dr. Jack         Not in your head…real thing. Whenyou were dipping the tissue in your mouth was turning over cells at a monstrous pace. You stopped, your cells are now repairing the site. REal stuff. Good for you

QUESTION:
2011-09-12     09:00:49 PM     Aglawyer         Dr. Jack. Sorry to toss so many at you. Ignore me if someone else has question. But sunflower seeds, how bad? Mouth feels tore up sometimes after so many.
ANSWER:
2011-09-12     09:02:35 PM     Dr. Jack         Sunflower seeds are casuing a little iritation but Unless you are chewing them 24/7 they are not a problem.

SOME OTHER QUOTES FROM DR. JACK:
2011-09-12     08:02:15 PM     Dr. Jack         glad to be here. Congrats to all of you for kicking the can. i see how hard it is everyday in my office

2011-09-12     08:28:17 PM     Dr. Jack         This site is good for accountability..I see patients everyday that say, I quit for 6 months then went golfing with my buddies….

2011-09-12     08:59:44 PM     Dr. Jack         Not too sound like dentist but watch the jolly ranchers…I have seen mucho cavities from those who quit tobacco then took up hard candy…sorry to be a wet blanket.