Oral Cancer Awareness Month
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, more than 130 people in the US are newly diagnosed with oral cancer every day. Fortunately, when detected early, oral cancer is highly treatable, and we, your trusted dentist, can help by providing regular oral cancer screenings.
What is Oral Cancer?
Oral cancer is not as widely publicized as other types of cancer, but it is still an important disease to be aware of since over 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of oral cancer every year. Any cancer of the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat is classified as oral cancer. Warning signs include:
- A sore that does not heal
- Red or white spots inside your mouth
- An abnormal lump or growth inside your mouth
- Ear or throat pain
- Difficulty swallowing
- Loose teeth
If you notice any of these signs, contact your dentist or general practitioner right away to get an oral cancer screening.
Oral Cancer Screenings
We provide oral cancer screenings to our patients as part of their semiannual hygiene visit. We do this for every patient, regardless of lifestyle or risk factors because the incidence of oral cancer in non-tobacco-using adults is on the rise due to exposure to human papillomavirus — a virus that infects more than 40 million people a year.
Major Risk Factors
People who smoke or use tobacco, drink heavily, use tanning beds regularly, or do not use sun protection on their face and lips are most at risk for oral cancer. If you have any of these habits, we urge you to stop them immediately and get an oral cancer screening as soon as possible, especially if you have never had one or it has been a long time since your last screening.
Get Screened
An oral cancer screening is quick, non-invasive, and completely painless. Your dentist simply examines your tongue, lips, cheeks, and gums for any warning signs. They will also take your medical history into account during the examination. So, it is important to be honest about your lifestyle, health habits, and family history. Our goal is to help you stay as healthy as possible, and the more information we have, the better.
Detection & Treatment
Early detection of oral cancer is key. In most cases, treatment is quite successful, with a 5-year survival rate of 68.5%, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, if not detected and treated early enough, oral cancer can be devastating, causing severe disfigurement, disability, or even death in the most serious cases. That is why we provide oral cancer screenings in our office as part of a patient’s hygiene examination.
If you have not had an oral hygiene examination recently or you have a concern about your oral health, please do not hesitate to contact our office located in New Braunfels, TX to schedule an appointment. We would also appreciate it if you would spread the word about the importance of getting regular oral cancer screenings by talking to your friends and family members during Oral Cancer Awareness Month.