Why Is Oral Cancer Screening Important?

Are you one among the many that believe oral cancer screening is not necessary because it is unlikely to affect you? You are indeed committing a grave error, especially if you are male, over 40 years of age, are using tobacco and alcohol excessively, are exposed to harsh sunlight for extended periods, and are affected by human papillomavirus (HPV). You could be susceptible to oral cancer even if you are leading a healthy life without exposure to any risk factors mentioned above.

The importance of oral cancer screenings cannot be disputed because when it is detected, early oral cancer can be successfully treated. You shouldn’t be concerned about visiting an oncologist to have yourself checked for mouth cancer. During your regular six-monthly dental visits, your dentist will be performing oral cancer screening along with any other treatment that you may be needing. The dentist will perform the screening discreetly without even making you aware of it. The charges for the screening will not be added to your visit because dentists are performing the screening as a complementary gesture.

When your dentist performs oral cancer screening, he or she will be looking for the following symptoms:

·        Bleeding spots in your mouth that are not healing

·        A hard spot or lump in your mouth

·        White or red patches in your mouth

·         Pain or numbness when you bite down

If you are displaying any of the symptoms mentioned, your dentist will either request you to visit for another examination in a few days or weeks. If your condition has worsened, the dentist may decide to perform a biopsy for further evaluation. If the biopsy delivers positive results, you will be provided the treatment necessary at an early stage.

Undergoing screening for oral cancer shouldn’t be scaring you because it is just a preventive measure to ensure you are not being saddled with a concerning problem. The best way to prevent oral cancer is to have regular screenings performed during dental checkups. Your dentist does not have the expertise to diagnose your condition but can certainly ask for help from the experts to determine whether you are at risk for oral cancer by forwarding samples in the form of tissues or biopsies that may be conducted.

Dentists at Pleasure Dental also perform oral cancer screenings on their patients during regular dental checkups. The professionals will not be announcing the screening but will perform it discreetly, as mentioned earlier, and only keep you informed about your oral and overall health at the end of the dental checkup. This, in no way, reduces the importance of oral cancer screening, which would have been performed by the dentist as a routine requirement.