Contact: Ed FishelPhone: 410/706-3810 Pager: 410/471-1735[email protected]
Fever Blisters, Oral Skin Health are Professor's Topics at ADA Meeting Saturday
The causes of fever blisters and the connection between oral skin health and the rest of the body are two of the topics Michael A. Siegel DDS, MS, will include in his report to the American Dental Association Saturday, October 14, at its annual meeting in Chicago. The University of Maryland Dental School associate professor has been selected to be one of the ADA's guest speakers.
"When I see someone who has a rash in his/her mouth, the first question I ask the patient is, 'Do you have a skin rash?'" Siegel explains. "Chances are that the rash in their mouth is exactly the same rash that they have on their skin. I can refer them to a dermatologist and in consultation with the specialist, we can come up with a diagnosis and treatment to help the patient." Siegel, a member of the ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs, says many diseases have oral manifestations, which is why it is important for patients to provide the dentist with a complete medical history, including what prescription and over-the-counter drugs they are taking. "The mouth is connected to the rest of the body. Any medication a person takes may well affect his/her mouth," he says.
"For example, a common cause of canker sores in the mouth is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen," according to Siegel. "These drugs are known to cause stomach ulcers and they can also cause oral ulcers."
The dentist has to consider what else is happening that might affect the person's mouth. There are many systemic causes for oral conditions. Fever blisters actually derive from a non-dental cause," Dr. Siegel says. 'Fever blisters are caused by a herpes virus. Studies show that approximately 90 percent of Americans who have been tested have been exposed to the herpes virus, but not everyone gets fever blisters, and scientists are trying to figure out why. They do know that sometimes too much sunlight or illness may result in a break-out of fever blisters, which are contagious, especially when the fluid filled blisters are present."
Siegel says dentists should be observant if they have a patient who is being treated for sun-damaged skin. "The most common pre-malignant skin lesions show up on the prominent parts of the face, such as right above the eyebrows or on the lower lip. The sun shines down and so the lower lip is one of the most common sites for skin cancer."
Dentists also look for cancer in the mouth. "Anything that can happen on the outside on skin can pretty much happen on the inside," Siegel says. Dentists routinely look for oral cancer during regular check-ups. Siegel reminds people with dentures, who may not go to the dentist as often as they should, to visit the dentist at least once a year to make sure the inside of their mouth is healthy.
(Editors note: Dr. Siegel will return to the UMB campus October 19 and will be available for interviews that afternoon and all day Friday, October 20.)
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http://www.oea.umaryland.edu/Media/NewsSum/News.htmThe Baltimore campus of the University of Maryland is home to the dental school, graduate school, and schools of law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work. It is the founding institution of the University System of Maryland.
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