Oral Cancer Exams
What are Oral Cancer Exams?
Oral cancer affects millions of people worldwide and can often be prevented and detected in its early stages. We offer regular oral cancer screening exams to our patients who require them. These exams are easy, noninvasive and can help us to spot unusual lesions and tissue within the mouth that may be a sign of oral cancer. We often recommend having these exams done at least once a year.
Why would Oral Cancer Exams be needed?
Oral cancer can strike at any time, and certain habits and lifestyle choices can make you more susceptible to developing it. It is important to have these screenings done to ensure that you’re healthy and to prevent a smaller problem from getting worse. Being a smoker or chewing tobacco puts you at increased risk of developing oral cancer. It is imperative that you have these screenings done as often as possible if you smoke or chew tobacco.
Who is a candidate for Oral Cancer Exams?
If you’re a smoker or chew smokeless tobacco, it’s a good idea to have an oral cancer exam performed at least once every year. However, it’s recommended that all adults, regardless of whether or not they smoke, have these exams performed. In some instances, oral cancer is simply hereditary, so it may happen even without an external cause. The benefit of an oral cancer screening is that we can detect unusual lesions or areas of soft tissue in the mouth that may need to be biopsied.
How are Oral Cancer Exams done?
Oral cancer screenings are relatively noninvasive, and they’re often done in conjunction with a cleaning and routine dental examination. During the exam, we will look around your mouth and lift your tongue to look underneath it. We are looking for areas that are red or even white in color, or any lumps, bumps or bruising that looks abnormal. If there is an area that is abnormal, we may recommend that a biopsy be done so that we can determine if the lesion is cancerous. Oral cancer screenings aren’t scary and the most important thing to remember is that early detection and treatment are highly effective at eliminating the cancer altogether.
If you would like to come into our office for an oral cancer exam, call us today to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members.