As dentists we not only care about the form and function of your teeth and gums, or how pretty your smile looks. A great deal of our focus is put on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of oral health disorders, and diseases. One of the most common and debilitating issues to oral health is oral cancer, and the different forms it can take.
At Affordable Dental Care we are proud to offer our patients Oral Cancer Screenings as well as any regular dental examination. Similar to other cancers, oral cancer can be life-threatening, and the best odds at beating it is through early detection, therefor oral cancer screenings should be placed at the highest importance.
Oral Screening
During this simple screening process our expert team will analyze your oral cavity for any irregularities. Your throat, as well as the rest of your mouth will be carefully examined for any abnormal signs or symptoms. If by chance we see something out of the ordinary, we may require that a sample be taken either using a scalpel or by a brush test, in order to be analyzed further at one of our partner labs.
Possible Signs of Oral Cancer
- Persistent mouth sore: A sore in the mouth that does not heal is the most common symptom of oral cancer
- Pain: Persistent mouth pain is another common oral cancer sign
- A lump or thickening in the cheek
- A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth
- A sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat that does not go away
Whether or not you feel any of the above symptoms it should be a part of every dental patient’s routine to get oral cancer screenings done once in a while. This will allow you the piece of mind to know that your oral health is where it should be. Certain factors will obviously increase your chances such as smoking or use of other oral tobacco products. Don’t wait, we recommend every one of our patients get an oral cancer screening.
