Oral Cancer Screenings
Dentist Peoria, AZ
 The dentist wants to see you every six months. When you come in for a dental checkup, the dentist is going to examine you and check for gum issues and even cavities. You probably do not know that the dentist also checks for other serious conditions like oral cancer. Our dental team here at Desertview Dental Care will screen you for oral cancer as we do other checks to see the overall health of your mouth.
Oral Cancer
When you have developed oral cancer, you will have growth or sores that do not seem to go away on the cheeks, the lips, throat, soft and hard palate, mouth floor, or even on the tongue. If these conditions are not discovered early enough, they are likely to cause oral issues in the future. When you have regular dental checkups, this is one of the things that the dentist will do to keep your mouth healthy and to see if you have any oral issues.
The dentist will evaluate the oral cavity, and this includes the soft tissues so that you are safe from oral cancer. The dentist also checks for gum disease and cavities. The oral examination can even go beyond where the dental specialist will do a head and neck exam to ensure that there are no conditions related to the head and neck that can affect your oral health.
Before Cancer Screening
Many patients wonder what oral cancer screening entails. Since they know it involves screening for cancer, many can get anxious and fear the process altogether. At our practice, we employ modern and safe techniques that will ensure that you get an effective examination that will determine whether or not you are at risk of suffering from oral cancer.
Before the start of the examination or screening, it is standard practice for our dentist to review your health and lifestyle history. This will be key to determining whether you are taking any new medications or if you have any harmful lifestyle habits that can put you at increased risk of developing mouth cancer. The lifestyle habits that our dentist will be interested in is whether you drink or smoke since these are closely associated with oral cancer.
The Screening Process
After the review of your medical and lifestyle history, our dentist will go ahead and examine your oral health. This can be intraoral (lips, cheeks, gum tissues, palate, tongue, and floor of your mouth) or extra-oral and include your neck and head. This is to check whether you have any lumps that can show that you have oral cancer.
Contact Our Offices for an Effective Oral Cancer Screening
If you want to determine whether you are at risk of developing oral cancer, you can visit us at Desertview Dental Care for effective care. Call us at 623-278-9402 to talk to an expert and book an appointment. You will find dental professionals who are always ready to offer their full assistance and support. |
