A cancer screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. A person’s mouth will show precancerous conditions that could potentially lead to cancer. Abnormal tissue that is found early can help prevent cancer. When a person starts to show symptoms, cancer may have begun to spread. An oral cancer screening can be performed by both a dentist or a doctor. Here at Town Center Dental our team is trained in effectively screening our patients.
Proactive Screenings Are Best
It is important to remember that proactive screening is the most effective method in preventing cancer. if your dentist suggests you get an oral screening, it does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. Scientists are still working to better understand the causes and conditions of certain types of cancer and why we get them. They study people with different lifestyles and environments to look for common causes. These studies can help doctors better recommend who should be screened for cancer, what type of treatment they should get, and how frequent their tests should be.
Oral and oropharyngeal cancers should be screened annually starting around the age of 18. If a person uses tobacco products, screenings should commence at the age they begin tobacco use. The screenings are usually quick, pain-free, and non-invasive to undergo.
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 54,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer each year. Of those 54,000 diagnosed individuals, only slightly more than half will be alive in 5 years - approximately 57%, a number that has only slightly improved in decades. This is due to an increase in HPV16-caused cancers that are more vulnerable to existing modes of treatment, creating a significant survival advantage.
Historically the death rate associated with oral cancer is not because it is particularly hard to detect or diagnose, but because it is routinely discovered late in its development. Another obstacle in the fight against oral cancer is the emergence of the virus HPV16. The virus has significantly contributed to the incidence rate of oral cancer and emerges in the posterior region of the mouth: the base of the tongue, the tonsils, and the oropharynx making it harder to detect because there are no visible lesions or discolorations in the front of the mouth.
Detection and Prevention
Oral cancer is especially dangerous because it may not be detected by the patient in its early stages. It can thrive without producing pain or recognizable symptoms and has a high risk of producing second primary tumors. Oral cancer may seem very daunting, but the good news is that you are not alone. Town Center Dental is here to help. A dentist or doctor can in many cases, see or feel pre-cancer tissue changes, or actual cancer while it is still very small. It may appear as a red or white patch in the mouth or a small hard ulcer that looks like a canker sore. Because there are so many benign changes in the tissues of the mouth, a bite on the side of your cheek or a canker sore, it is important to have any sore or discolored area of your mouth that does not heal within 14 days, looked at by a professional. Other symptoms include a painless mass or lump felt on the inside of the mouth, pain or difficulty in swallowing, chewing, or speaking, or hoarseness that lasts for a long time.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please call 636-273-5866.
