 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | The doctor should have chosen his words mre carefully so he didnt cause her to feel guilty forever thinking it was all her fault. Some people have unknown causes, they have no risk factors at all. Its not possible to tell exactly why she got cancer. Dismissing it as 80% due to smoking might be correct, but who knows. There are other words that they could have used instead of chalking it up to being a smoker and having her suffer even more.
I didnt mean to sound harsh about this topic, I just hate to hear someone catagorized. Hearing a cancer diagnosis is like the end of the world for most of us. Its a terrifying time with so many emotions running rampant, extra stress isnt needed.
Your original question, everyone should have a complete dental exam. Not just those related to an OC patient. At this point it hasnt yet been proven to be caused from heredity.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
