Dentist Edmond: Giving Oral Cancer Screenings
It’s April and that means it’s oral cancer awareness month! Did you know that according to the National Cancer Institute more than 21,000 men and 9,000 women in the United States annually receive oral cancer diagnoses? Sadly, the American Cancer Society also reports that over 7,000 of the documented cases result in the patient’s death. With such a high number of oral cancer cases, why take any risks? How do you know if you should get checked out? Today, our dentist in Edmond will provide you with some information to help you make that determination.
First, our dentist in Edmond would like to inform everyone that if you’ve noticed any of the following symptoms that have lasted longer than 2 weeks, you should have them looked at:
- Red patches anywhere in the mouth or on the tongue
- White or pink patches which fail to heal
- Sores that bleed easily
- Lesions or hardened white or gray areas (Leukoplakia) the appears anywhere in the mouth
- Lumps in the throat or mouth
Our dentist in Edmond wants you to be aware that while the above list may contain some symptoms which are not always cancerous, there’s a good chance that they are or they can certainly lead to cancer and should be taken seriously. It is reported that about 75% of oral cancers are linked to behaviors such as smoking, other forms of tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. It’s highly important to cease use of toxic entities if you notice that you have any sores in the mouth that aren’t healing.
Seeing a dentist, such as our dentist in Edmond, is the first step in the cancer screening process. As oral cancer can spread rapidly and happen to anyone, it is recommended to have a comprehensive oral cancer screening at least once each year. Once a determination is made about your screening, a more extensive plan and treatment options may be discussed.
To receive your screening and rule out the possibility that you may have oral cancer, please feel free to make an appointment with our dentist in Edmond. Contact us at 405-330-5458 or click here.
