How Do Dentists Screen for Oral Cancer During Checkups?

Oral cancer creeps in silently. Sometimes, a tiny sore or a patch that isn’t healing for a long time in the feel of your mouth doesn’t worry you much, but you can never know if it might become something severe. The sooner oral cancer is diagnosed, the more likely it is that the condition is cured and the person has a chance of recovery. That is why your regular dental visits are much more than clean teeth; they can really be life-saving.

What Is Oral Cancer Really?

Oral cancer may occur anywhere within the mouth because it can occur on the tongue, gums, cheeks, lips, and even on the roof and floor of the mouth. It is caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells, and it may be caused by other risk factors like consumption of tobacco, alcohol, HPV infection, or excessive exposure of the lips to the sun.

As soon as oral cancer can be detected, it is better. Oral cancer is easy to cure at early stages and only needs little treatment and time. But, left to it, it can become widespread and demand more complicated treatment.

How Do Dentists Determine The Early Signs During Regular Checkups?

Going to a dentist in Camarillo is not only a way to polish your smile, but it is also an important procedure in safeguarding your health in general. When your dentist performs a routine oral examination, he or she will:

Visual Inspection of Soft Tissues

The dentist also checks your tongue, inner cheeks, gums, lips, and back of your throat carefully with a view to the presence of any unusual red or white spots, sores, or discoloration.

Feel Lumps or Texture

They will examine your neck and jawline with their fingertips to identify lumps, thickened parts, or swollen glands that might feel like an abnormal growth in the tissue.

Evaluate Oral Function

The dentist might make you move your tongue and jaw to see whether you have any stiffness, difficulty in swallowing or any restriction in movement- it is a possible indication of the ear cancer as a result of the initial cancer.

Apply Specialized Screening Tools

Some dentists also use other specialized screening tools, like fluorescent lights or special rinses, which make it even easier to find hidden abnormalities that can be an indication of oral cancer. These are used in cases where the issues are not visible to the naked eye.

Why Visit The Dentist Regularly?

Most people think that if there were any issues, they would notice or see the symptoms, but oral cancer is sneaky, so by the time it is noticeable, the damage is already done. Dentists are taught to understand the slight difference between annoying nuisances and severe lesions. Regular visits with your dentist, say every 6 months, can make even the small changes detectable, relieving you from the uncertainty.

Early diagnosis will not only increase the rate of survival but also reduce the invasive treatment that may be required in the future.

Red Flags That You Must Not Ignore

Between your visits, look out for the warning signs that need your immediate attention, like:

• Unhealing sores that do not disappear in 2 weeks.
• Blood that has no reason or unconsciousness.
• Patches in the mouth that are red or white.
• Difficulty or hoarseness in swallowing.
• A lump in the neck or jaw area

When you see any of these symptoms, it’s better to be safe than sorry by visiting your dentist and getting them checked out.

Prioritize Screening – Protect Your Health

Your mouth can be a reflection of your general state of health, and your dentist can be of great value in helping to notice the changes over time.

At Camarillo Premier Dental, all examinations include a thorough oral cancer screening- since prevention and early intervention can be the cautious step to saving a life..

In case it has been over six months since the last visit, make your appointment today. Spending a couple of minutes on the dental chair may be the difference between your future health and your present.

FAQs