Risky Business
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the most frequent solid tumor in this genetic disease, which disrupts the cell's ability to repair interstrand cross-links
Fanconi Anemia
This lymph node is named for the prophetess Pythia, who delivered prophecies from the god Apollo at his temple on Mount Parnassus.
Delphian node (named for its prophetic ability -like the Oracle of Delphi- to signal more advanced head and neck cancers, especially from the larynx or thyroid)
This President's dentures were famously complex, made not of wood (a popular myth), but of ivory, human teeth, cow, horse, and walrus teeth
George Washington
The world’s fourth most commonly used psychoactive substance, after caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
Betel Nut
This nerve carries preganglionic parasympathetic fibers that synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion.
The vidian nerve
All patients who are to receive H&N radiation therapy should have unsalvageable teeth removed to prevent this rare complication
Osteoradionecrosis
Pooled estimates suggest around 1-20% of these lesions experience malignant transformation over 10 years
Oral leukoplakia
Unlike oropharyngeal cancer, most oral cancers are HPV negative except tumors arising near this structure
Circumvallate papillae
Your mouth makes 1-2 _____ of saliva daily to wash away food and neutralize acid.
liters
This rare genetic disorder, which causes short telomeres, leads to a significantly increased risk of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma
Dyskeratosis congenita
This structure refers to the branching point of the facial nerve within the parotid gland, forming a "goose's foot" pattern from which five main motor nerve divisions emerge
Pes anserinus (yes, the same name as the knee area)
This city was the first to add fluoride to its public drinking water in January 1945
Grand Rapids, Michigan