Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer screening is an examination performed by the dentist or dental hygienist. Our team looks for signs of any abnormalities in the mouth. Our number one goal of oral cancer screening is to identify mouth cancer early to avoid it spreading.
Most dentists/dental hygienist perform an oral cancer screening during routine dental visits. Some dentists may ask you to stick out your tongue to check every area possible. Mouth cancer refers to cancer that develops in any of the part of the mouth (oral cavity). Mouth cancer can occur on the tongue, lip and on other various places in the mouth.
Some factors that increase the risk for oral cancer are, tobacco use of any kind, sun exposure and heavy alcohol consumption.
If you see or feel any abnormalities in your mouth, contact your dental office for an exam. Some signs to look for are,
• A lip or mouth sore that doesn’t heal
• A white or reddish patch on the inside of your mouth
• A growth or lump inside your mouth
• Mouth pain
• Ear pain
• Difficult swallowing
For any additional questions or concerns call the office.
