08 May Importance Of Oral Cancer Exams
Oral cancer starts in the oral cavity and can affect various areas such as the tongue, lips, cheeks, throat, and sinuses. Every year, many individuals are diagnosed with mouth cancer and many more die of it. The majority of these cancer diagnoses could be preventable with regular cancer examinations.
During your next dental check-up, it is vital to have an oral cancer screening to determine whether you are in danger of developing oral cancer. These screenings are designed to detect the early indicators or signs of cancer before it grows to a more serious stage.
Screenings are vital in that when the cancer is detected early, the odds of efficacious treatment are high. Dentists have many methods of detecting early cancer signs using state-of-the-art technology.
How We Diagnose Oral Cancer
When we conduct an oral cancer screening, we use many tools to look for any mouth sores or any discoloration in your mouth. We then feel the tissues around your mouth for lumps or any abnormality. If our dentist detects any form of abnormality in your mouth, we send a sample of the abnormality to the lab for further testing.
Risk Factors and Symptoms
Some risk factors for oral cancer include the use of tobacco and being over 40 years of age. Again, gender whereby men are more predisposed to mouth cancer is another factor. An unhealthy diet, prolonged exposure to the sun, and HPV are also risk factors.
While most people who have already been diagnosed with oral cancer have one or many of these risk factors, it is common today to see people who do not present with any risk factors, hence the need for regular screenings.
Noticeable symptoms of oral cancer comprise some red or white patches in your mouth, spots that do not easily heal or bleed continuously, hard spots in the mouth, or pain when you bite down. Visit us for routine oral cancer screening and we will expertly look out for these and more symptoms.
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