Convenient Oral Cancer Screening During Dental Exams
Oral cancer screenings at our dental office are the first line of defense in protecting your long-term oral and overall health. Early detection through regular treatments is an essential step for treating this serious disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control , more than 40,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in our country each year, and over 9,000 related deaths occur. Dr. Eugene D. Stanislaus and our team perform oral cancer screening during routine dental visits at our Brooklyn Heights, NY. Having an experienced dentist regularly check for the signs of oral cancer are critical steps to ensuring your best health.
Risk Factors
The five-year survival rate for oral cancer is approximately 50 percent. The high mortality rate for oral cancer is largely due to late detection of the diseases. When caught in its early stages, oral cancer is less likely to take the patient’s life. While oral cancer can strike anyone, there are a number of risk factors that can increase your likelihood of developing the condition, such as:
- Being over 40 years of age
- Smoking
- Chewing tobacco
- Having a systemic diseases that weaken the immune system
- Having the human papillomavirus ( HPV)
It is important to note that while these factors may put you at higher risk, there are many oral cancer patients who do not fall into any of these categories. In fact, about 25 percent of oral cancer patients have no known risk factors.
Symptoms of Oral Cancer
Oral cancer often goes unnoticed by patients until it has spread to another location, like the lymph nodes. The disease often first manifests as a small white or red patch on the gums, tongue, palate, inside of the cheeks, or on the lips. While many white or red spots in the mouth are harmless, up to 4 percent of these lesions may contain pre-cancerous cells. Advanced symptoms of oral cancer may include a constant sore throat, difficulty swallowing, numbness in the mouth, chronic mouth sores and ulcers, or loosened teeth.
Convenient oral screening during regular checkups with your trusted dentist is the first step towards protecting yourself against an oral cancer diagnosis.
Screening at Your Dentist's Office
During a routine dental examination at our office, Dr. Stanislaus will carefully examine your entire oral structure for symptoms of oral cancer. If abnormalities are detected, a noninvasive brush test may be performed. The suspicious area is rubbed with a small cleaner-like brush. Cells from the brush are spread on a slide and sent to a laboratory for analysis. If precancerous cells are detected, you will be referred to a specialist for treatment. Additionally, we will continue to provide monitoring during periodic checkups.
Protect Your Health
Convenient oral screening during regular checkups with your trusted dentist is the first step towards protecting yourself against an oral cancer diagnosis. Contact us online or call us at (877) 738-9424 to learn more about the importance of oral cancer examinations.
