Oral Cancer Screenings
Your health comes first!
What is the point of having beautiful teeth if we don’t care about the overall health of our patients? At Alamo Ranch Dental, we provide oral cancer screenings at the new patient exam and periodically thereafter. We do this by visual exam and by tactile (touch) examination in the oral cavity and surrounding structures. If we notice any abnormalities, such as lumps or swellings or unusual white or red patches that do not go away after a few weeks, we may recommend a biopsy for further evaluation and assessment. If you have any concerns or questions about unusual signs or symptoms, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Even though oral & pharyngeal cancer is not the most common cancer, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation, one American will die from oral or pharyngeal cancer every hour, 24 hours per day. The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high because it is usually discovered late in development. Oral cancer affects not just smokers, patients over age 40, and those with a history of alcohol use but can also affect younger non-smokers. It has been associated with a link to HPV. Unfortunately, there may be no signs and symptoms until it is too late in discovery.
