Meet Your Dentist: Dr. Damion Gilday

Dr. Damion Gilday has always had a passion for helping people in need and became interested in dentistry at a young age. He attended the University of Oregon and Oregon State University, each for two years. In 1996 he graduated from Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) Dental School, and received his DMD with honors. He then went on to study full mouth reconstruction at the Pankey Institute, during which time he was in private practice until 2003.

Military Service
Dr. Gilday joined the Army Reserves in 2003 and was immediately deployed to serve his country in Iraq. In 2007 he enlisted as full-time military and became part of the first Army Special Forces stationed in SE Asia. He spent much of his time in the Philippines setting up a dental facility to treat the impoverished.

Dental Volunteering
After his military service, Dr. Damion Gilday served on several medical missions in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Belarus through HELP International. The mission of HELP International is to empower people to fight global poverty through sustainable, life-changing development programs.

Since its founding in 1999, HELP has grown to be a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization specializing in three core competencies: (1) public health, (2) education and (3) entrepreneurship/business projects.

In April 2012, Dr. Damion Gilday purchased Village Plaza Dental in Eugene, OR and enjoys working with his diverse patient community.

Dr. Gilday is married, with 6 children ages 7 to 17. His family can often be found golfing together, and they are avid Ducks fans. They also enjoy spending time backpacking and out on the trails.

We invite you to meet Dr. Gilday - call our office today at 541-343-3822 for your appointment!

FDA Alert: Benzocaine Products

FDA warns against using benzocaine products in children under 2

When a baby is teething, mom and dad want to help stop the pain. For this reason, gel and spray products are available that contain benzocaine, a topical anesthetic. However, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that these products should not be used for children under 2, except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional. The reason? Benzocaine has been associated with a rare but serious, and sometimes fatal, condition called methemoglobinemia.

What is methemoglobinemia? In simple terms, it’s a disorder in which the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry is greatly reduced. Although it can occur in older children and adults, children under 2 appear to be particularly at risk. That’s because since 2006, the FDA has received 29 reports of benzocaine gel-related cases of methemoglobinemia, and 15 of these have been in children under 2.

According to the FDA’s consumer update, here are some of the symptoms of methemoglobinemia:

• pale, gray, or blue colored skin, lips and nails
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• confusion
• headache
• light-headedness
• rapid heart rate

The ADA’s Seal of Acceptance Program currently has two topical benzocaine-containing pain relief products that bear the ADA Seal, neither intended for children under 2. These products are Benzodent Dental Pain Relieving Cream by Chattem, and Professional Strength Kanka Mouth Pain Liquid by Blistex. Both products contain 20 percent benzocaine and contain the following label statements:

• For the temporary relief of pain due to minor irritations of the mouth and gums caused by dentures or orthodontic appliances or minor injury to mouth and gums. Kanka also says that it can be used to help relieve pain from canker sores.
• Children under 2 years of age: consult a dentist or physician.
• Children under 12 years of age should be supervised in the use of this product.
• Keep out of reach of children.

For more information on these and other oral care products that carry the ADA Seal, visit the ADA Seal page on MouthHealthy. Products that bear the ADA Seal have undergone a rigorous, independent, scientific review to ensure that they meet ADA criteria for safety and effectiveness.
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Information provided is from mouthhealthy.org - a site developed by the American Dental Association.

Oral Cancer Screenings: A Matter of Life and Death

Oral cancer is the largest group of those cancers which fall into the head and neck cancer category. Common names include mouth cancer, tongue cancer, tonsil cancer, and throat cancer. Approximately 40,000 people in the U.S. will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2012. Published studies show that currently less than 15% of those who visit a dentist regularly, report having had an oral cancer screening. Historically, the greatest strides in combatting most cancers have come from an increased awareness, and aggressive campaigns that focus on early detection.

It is important to realize that a visit to your dentist is no longer about a filling, a crown, or a postponable cleaning, but it is actually a matter of life and death. Dental exams, when properly done and that include a screening for oral cancer, can save lives. With advances in modern technology, dentists are now able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem much earlier in its development.

Dr. Damion Gilday and his staff at Village Plaza Dental in Eugene, OR believe strongly in the health of their patients, and recommend oral cancer screenings at your new patient appointment, and each year thereafter. Oral cancer screenings are generally completed with an ultraviolet light, or a similar device that allows the dentist to view problem areas that can't always be detected by the human eye under normal conditions.

We encourage you to make an appointment today at Village Plaza Dental in Eugene, OR for your annual dental exam and cleaning, and make sure that you are on the path to a healthy mouth for life! Contact us today at 541-343-3822.