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Look for Changes in Your Mouth

Woman Looking at Her TeethWhenever you find yourself brushing or flossing in front of a mirror, take the opportunity to really look inside your mouth. Self-Examination is the first line of defense in detecting potential problems… and the earlier, the better!

Open wide and look at all the soft tissues, watching for any unusual changes such as unexplained white or red patches, pain, swelling, or oral lesions. Most of the time, these are simply an injury from biting your lip, a burn from hot food, or an irritation due to salty or acidic foods. However, sores and patches that don’t heal after a period of 1-2 weeks can be a sign of trouble. More and more, researchers are recognizing that many systemic diseases show warning signs in the mouth. The most common of these include oral cancer, diabetes, leukemia, heart disease, and kidney disease.

Nobody knows your mouth as you do! So trust your instincts and contact us for an appointment if you have any unexplained changes like swelling, oral lesions, or pain.

About Yuri Kaneda, DDS

Dr. Yuri Kaneda was born in Japan and immigrated to the US when she was 4 years old with her family. She lived in Ohio, Nebraska, and Illinois before finally settling in the San Diego area. A graduate of Bonita Vista High School, she went on to the University of California Berkeley where she obtained her Bachelors in Microbiology and Immunology. After working for 2 years in growth plate research at University of California San Diego, she went to the University of California San Francisco Dental School for her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Upon graduation, she returned to San Diego where she worked as an associate in the practice of Drs. Morimoto and Yaryan, her childhood dentist. She then started her own practice in 1995 and has been at her present location since 1999 which happens to be across the street from her high school!

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