Oral cancer strikes over 40,000 Americans annually, killing over 8,000 Americans each year. Smoking, using chewing tobacco and heavy drinking are the prime risk factors, but many people diagnosed with oral cancer have none of these risk factors.
Detecting oral cancer early is critical. Symptoms of oral cancer include a sore throat that doesn’t heal, a lump, or a white or red patch on the inside of the mouth. During your dental exam, the dentist will discuss your health history and perform a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck. One test used to screen for oral cancer is the OralCDx Brush Test. This is a virtually painless test that helps dentists more easily distinguish between common lesions and the more lethal cancerous or pre-cancerous lesions.
If you experience any symptoms of oral cancer, please contact us and schedule an oral cancer screening today.