Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer
Oral cancer, the sixth most common cancer, accounts for almost 4 percent of all cancers diagnosed, with more than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer reported annually in the United States. The vast majority of oral cancers occur in people older than 45 years, with men being twice as likely as women to develop the disease.
If not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can spread.
The good news is that if oral cancer is caught early enough, your chances for survival increase dramatically - from 57 percent to more than 80 percent. What's the best way to catch it early? Be sure to visit your dentist regularly for oral examinations, which typically include an oral cancer screening in the form of a soft tissue exam which includes a visual inspection of the oral cavity and palpation of the head, neck and oral cavity.
At West Park Dental, we screen for oral cancer at every preventative care visit. The Dr. or hygienist feels for lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, cheeks and oral cavity, and thoroughly examines the soft tissues in your mouth, specifically looking for any sores or discolored tissues.
What causes oral cancer?
Scientists aren't sure of the exact cause of oral cancer. However, use of tobacco products, heavy alcohol consumption, human papilloma virus (HPV) infections, as well as excessive exposure to the sun have been found to increase the risk of developing oral cancer.
Contact us for more information on Oral Cancer Screening.