Oral Cancer Screening
Fort Worth, TX
 Here at Del Mar Dental, we urge you to have an oral cancer screening right away. If you haven’t had this life-saving procedure yet, make sure you do.
Oral cancer is one disease that’s hardly ever discussed. There are barely any campaigns, walks, fundraisers, or advertisements promoting its treatment. However, oral cancer claims one life every hour in America and, without the right detection methods, one may have the disease without even knowing it.
As with all cancers, early detection followed by treatment is essential for getting cured. As such, the sooner you find out that you’re developing signs of oral cancer or are at risk of it, the higher your chances of beating or avoiding it.
Who’s at Risk of Getting Oral Cancer?
Recent medical research has shown that some forms of the HPV virus also contribute to oral cancer. The HPV virus may even be contracted in the teenage years, which means that both genders, whether young or old, could contract this horrible disease. We urge all adults to have an oral cancer screening. However, if you drink, smoke, or have the HPV virus, it’s especially important that you get tested for oral cancer.
Oral Cancer Screening Process
A thorough oral cancer screening is part of your regular dental exam - another reason why it’s important to be regularly tested. Our screening includes checking out the inside of your mouth for unusual sores or white or red patches, as well as your lips and tongue. Our doctor may press the inside of your mouth to check for swelling and lumps, and may gently pull your tongue aside for a much better view. A dye, special light, or other technique may also be employed to help detect any suspect areas. If we find anything that looks unusual, we can easily carry out a biopsy.
If you notice any abnormal color changes or sores in your lips, mouth, or tongue, they may indicate the presence of oral cancer. However, most of these changes are usually benign. However, other unusual changes or sores that haven’t disappeared on their own after two or three weeks should be tested. Remember, a lab report is the only way to diagnose oral cancer properly. Early diagnosis, thanks to thorough screenings at our dental office, is one of the surest ways to prevent oral cancer.
Oral Cancer Treatment
Treatments vary based on the kind of disease present. We’ll address every patient’s specific needs to get the best results. Certain treatments may require other specialists, like an ENT specialist or oral surgeon, while others involve the removal of a lesion.
Routine oral cancer screenings can help save your life. To arrange an appointment with us, contact Del Mar Dental at (817) 710-2609 today! |
