Oral Cancer Screening Despite the awareness done about cancer screening and its benefits, many people still do not take it seriously to get to a dentist for screening. If you have not taken this life-saving measure, it is the time you did so. Oral cancer is not frequently discussed as other oral problems, despite the dangers it poses to society. The campaigns are gearing up, but there are just a few, if any, like walks, advertising campaigns, or fundraisers supporting the treatment. Perhaps this is expected to change in the future as people and stakeholders mobilize themselves and their resources to help prevent or stop the disease. Our dental team at Wildhorse Dental encourages you to schedule your oral cancer screening appointment today. Oral cancer has a high mortality rate and the reason is that most patients do not seek help until the disease has progressed. What Oral Cancer Screening EntailsA visit to our dental office will allow our team to look for signs that indicate the disease. We look for the presence of abnormal tissue. Generally, we will look for symptoms such as white and red bumps, rough patches, hard lumps, or changes in teeth positioning. Much of the screening work is done visually. Nonetheless, our dentist also feels your cheeks as well as the inside areas of the mouth using gloves. This way, the dentist is able to identify if there are hard or strange lumps in the tissue. Since oral cancer is able to impact any area of the mouth, there is a need to have a thorough examination. And because technology is constantly improving, our team may use other resources when you visit our office. The test is gentle and takes a short time unless there are further tests required such as biopsies. Benefits of Oral Cancer ScreeningEarly detection is crucial for all forms of cancer, including oral cancer. Therefore, you need to have screening done frequently so that the disease can be caught at its beginning stage in order to begin treatment early enough. Starting treatment early is critical to your ability to get cured. The sooner you discover you are at risk or you have developed signs of the disease, the better your chances of getting cured. Also, early detection could mean less treatment and well as less time spent in recovery. How Frequently to Get ScreenedOur dental specialists recommend that you come to our office for your first oral cancer screening. It is after this examination that we will determine how often you should come in for successive screenings. Based on the risk factors we may identify in you, we may suggest that you visit our office more frequently or just occasionally. If, for instance, you are considered to be a high-risk patient, our team could suggest annual screenings. In most cases, you will receive an oral cancer screening during your routine dental checkups and exams, twice a year. Find out more regarding oral cancer screening. Contact us at Wildhorse Dental to speak with our team or call us at 636-537-0447 to book an appointment. |
Office HoursMonday: 8:00am-5:00pm Tuesday: 7:30am-4:00pm Wednesday: 7:30am-4:00pm Thursday: 7:30am-3:00pm Fri‑Sun: Closed |
