Oral Cancer Screening
During your routine dental checkup appointment, one of ABC Dental’s top Chicago dentists will assess the health of your teeth and gums. In addition to that, they will also include an oral cancer screening exam, an essential aspect of your routine checkup appointment.
What is an Oral Cancer Screening?
You might wonder; is an oral cancer screening necessary? Of course, it is! This is because the incidence of oral cancer is on the rise worldwide, and a routine dental checkup by your dentist can help in the diagnosis of oral cancer in the earlier stages when the chances of recovery are very high. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, 132 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in the US each day.
What Happens During Oral Cancer Screening?
An oral cancer screening is a simple process that is generally completed within 10 minutes. During a cancer screening exam, your doctor will examine your mouth for any swelling, white or red patches that may be indicative of a pre-cancerous lesion or a tumor, and other areas of sensitivity or irritation. The areas that will be examined include:
- The lips
- The gums
- The inside surface of the cheeks
- The roof of your mouth
- All the surfaces of your tongue
- The back of your throat
Doctor may also feel the lymph nodes around your head and neck for swelling or lumps.
If you wear removable dentures, you will be asked to remove them so that the underlying tissues can be checked as well.
In case any suspicious lesion is found, a tissue sample will be taken and immediately sent to the laboratory for diagnosis. According to the American Dental Association, the chances of complete recovery and tumor remission are very high if cancer is detected early.
Routine dental checkups and oral cancer screenings can save, not just your teeth and your smile, but also your life. So make sure to keep your regular checkup appointments so that we can make sure that your smile is healthy and gorgeous.