Oral Cancer ScreeningAn oral cancer screening is an exam or check-up that dentists perform to look for any precancerous conditions or signs of cancer in your mouth. The primary aim of oral cancer screening is to spot mouth cancer promptly when it is easy to treat it. Screening for oral cancer is usually done during your regular dental visits. Your dentist looks for any swellings, color patches, bumps, ulcerations, asymmetries, or any other abnormalities in your mouth. They examine your cheeks, jaws, lips, neck, face, oral cavity, and inside your nose. Visit RJ Dental to get more information about oral cancer and screening tests.  Importance of Undergoing an Oral Cancer ScreeningThere are numerous benefits to screening for oral cancer. Oral cancer screening helps identify precancerous lesions, which may cause mouth cancer. If these lesions are diagnosed early, they are easy to remove, and the patient heals completely. The number of people diagnosed with throat and mouth cancers has significantly increased over the last few years. The use of tobacco products such as cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and pipes are among the factors that increase oral cancer risks. Excessive sun exposure can raise the risk of lip cancer. Other things that can increase the chances of oral cancer include previous oral cancer diagnosis and heavy alcohol use. How to Prepare for Oral Cancer ScreeningYou don't need any special preparation for oral cancer screening since it is carried out during your regular dental appointments. During your normal oral exams, our dentist will inspect inside your mouth to look for any mouth sores or red and white patches. Our dentist will also feel your mouth tissues for bumps and other anomalies. The dentist can decide to perform other additional tests to examine oral cancer. These include oral cancer screening dye and oral cancer screening light. Oral cancer screening dye involves rinsing your mouth using a special blue dye before the exam starts. The purpose of this test is to identify the abnormal cells in your mouth as they will turn blue after taking up the dye. An oral cancer screening light consists of placing a shiny light in your mouth while carrying out the exam. The light will turn the abnormal tissues in your mouth white and healthy tissues turn dark. If our dentist finds any precancerous lesions or signs that may indicate oral cancer, they may suggest you have a follow-up visit within the coming weeks to check if the abnormal area still exists and if it has changed or grown gradually. Your dentist can also recommend you undergo a biopsy procedure where they get a sample of cells to take to the laboratory to test if cancer cells are there or not. Your dentist can also refer you to a specialized doctor in oral cancer for further treatment. If you are concerned about your oral cancer, visit RJ Dental to book your oral cancer screening test and learn ways you can reduce the risk. Call us today at (551) 369-2001 to learn more about our services. |
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