Oral Cancer Screening
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer involves uncontrolled cell growth in areas like the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat. It can be as deadly as other cancers, so regular screenings by your dentist are essential for early detection and timely treatment.
Visual Exam for Oral Cancer
The screening starts with a visual exam, where your dentist checks your mouth, face, neck, and lips for unusual changes. If any suspicious areas are found, further tests are conducted. Smoking, chewing tobacco, and similar habits increase the need for regular screenings. The dentist examines your gums, palate, cheeks, tonsils, throat, and tongue for swelling, bumps, discoloration, or ulcers. Be sure to remove dentures for a thorough check.
Physical Exam for Oral Cancer
During the exam, the dentist may palpate your head, cheeks, jaw, chin, and mouth to feel for unusual masses or nodules. They will also check any areas causing discomfort. Oral cancer symptoms can be painful, but pain may also come from issues elsewhere in the body.
Oral Cancer Screening Tools
Your dentist may use tools like a light, mirror, tongue depressor, or specialized equipment like Oral CDx for lab testing or VELscope with blue light to highlight problematic tissue. The screening doesn’t diagnose cancer but helps identify areas needing further attention. Regular screenings are especially important for those who smoke, drink alcohol, or chew tobacco.