Oral Cancer Screenings in Elkin, NC
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Around 54,000 Americans get diagnosed with oral cancers every year. Approximately 10,000 of them succumb to these deadly diseases, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. Early detection through oral cancer screenings can increase your chance of survival rate before cancer spreads in your body.
As a trusted dentist and provider of oral cancer screenings in Elkin, NC, ManiDental’s years of experience help guide patients by offering quality care for the early detection of oral cancers in the mouth and throat.
Get tested today to stay in check for any oral cancers.
Regular dental visits promote good oral health. However, on top of keeping a healthy smile, it also allows your dentist to see possible early signs of oral cancer and recommend further screening. With oral cancer screenings, your dentist can have a better diagnosis of your condition. As with most types of cancers, early detection can help increase the survival rate of patients and keep them away from the terminal stage.
An oral cancer screening is fast and painless. It involves checking for early stages of oral cancer in the soft lining of the mouth, lips, tongue, and throat. Your dentist will also look for any sores or red and white patches, lumps, and other abnormalities. Once your dentist detects a potential sign of cancer, a tissue sample from the affected area is subject to testing in a laboratory.
Who Is More At Risk For Developing Oral Cancer?
Oral and oropharyngeal cancers are diseases that may come from several causes. These include environmental factors, lifestyle, age, and genetics. Some risk factors are uncontrollable such as:
- Age
- Genetics
- HIV/HPV
Other risk factors are based on the environmental stresses that can be controlled. According to the American Cancer Society, two of the causes of oral cancers include unhealthy lifestyles like smoking and alcohol use that can cause cancers around the cheek, gums, and lips. Excess body weight is also another potential cause of cancer in the cancers of the oropharynx and larynx.
Detecting Oral Cancer
Oral health is important not only for your smile but also for your overall health. Dentists usually see early signs of oral cancer during annual checkups or any treatments under general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. Regular oral examinations can reveal the progression of unusual sores in your mouth and lumps in your neck.
Your dentist will further investigate the sores by having a visual assessment. The lumps on the neck are detected through a physical exam to identify the swollen location. If anything appears unusual, a biopsy of the soft tissue will be performed.
If you have any lumps on your neck, unusual sores, or any discoloration in your cheeks, lips, or tongue, consult your dentist for an exam. Prolonged sores in the mouth that last for 2 to 3 weeks are something you need to share with your dentist immediately. It may or may not be a sign of oral cancer, but getting checked early can beat any dental condition from getting worse.
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