Oral Cancer Screenings

teeth whitening dentist holiday flOral cancer kills 1 American every hour. Oral cancer screening is an integral part of your yearly checkups, and we have a very affordable test that can catch abnormalities early. OralID’s fluorescence technology uses a blue light that allows a clinician to identify oral cancer, pre-cancer, and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage, thus saving lives. Earlier diagnosis and treatment can help save lives.

Indeed, oral cancer screening is an important process that qualified physicians perform. In many settings, the screening is executed by a family dentist during your regular dental examination. Since the screening process detects the early signs or stages of oral cancer, it is critical to your teeth’ health and overall wellbeing. By catching the disease in its initial phase, this precautionary measure at our office can ensure that you can get proper treatment before the issue grows out of hand. 

At Tarpon Dental, our experts specialize in executing oral cancer screenings in Tarpon Springs. Through our various years of experience and extensive knowledge of dental health issues, our Tarpon Dental team can detect the early warning signs of oral cancer without any problems. Our dental team is just a call away whether you are feeling any symptoms that indicate you may have oral cancer or looking to get a screening out of caution. In addition to cosmetic dentistry, we can provide comprehensive functional services.

What is Oral Cancer Screening?

Oral cancer screening is an examination procedure that takes a close look at your oral cavity for signs of oral cancer. It also looks for any precancerous conditions that could increase your chances of developing oral cancer in the future. The examination is performed by either a physician or a dentist, who assess the available signs using their knowledge and experience of detecting this painful condition. Due to its importance in catching early signs or risks of oral cancer, this screening process has become a standard process across family and preventive dentistry

Why is Screening Important?

Oral cancer is a painful condition that can develop across various areas of the mouth. This includes lips, gums, tongue, throat, the inner lining of the cheek, and the roof and floor of the mouth. This type of cancer is usually visible to the naked eye or felt by hand, making it easier to detect through an examination by an expert. The earlier it is detected, the better the chances are for complete remission without complications. But if oral cancer goes undetected, it can cause many issues. These include but are not limited to: 

  • Loosened teeth
  • Lip sores or mouth sores
  • Mouth pain
  • Ear pain
  • Difficulty eating 
  • Difficulty swallowing

However, if you get regular screenings for oral cancer, it can detect related signs early on in the disease. In some cases, the process can even catch precancerous lesions that could increase your risk of getting oral cancer in the future. 

With early detection, the chances to get successful treatment without greatly painful symptoms are increased by a significant margin. That is why many health experts recommend that you get oral cancer screenings in Tarpon Springs regularly, even when you don’t feel any symptoms of the disease. If you seek to join many other patients and schedule a dental appointment at our office for preventative teeth care, you can also take advantage of healthy and optimal living.

How is Oral Cancer Screening in Tarpon Springs Performed?

oral cancer screenings services tarpon springs

The oral cancer screening process is simple and straightforward. But it requires the expertise of a qualified physician or dentist. Your physician examines your oral cavity for visible signs of oral cancer or precancerous conditions such as mouth sores, red patches, or white patches during the process. This includes a checkup of the following parts of your mouth and adjacent areas. 

  • Lips
  • Gums
  • Tongue
  • The inner lining of the cheek
  • The roof of the mouth
  • Floor of the mouth
  • Throat
  • Tonsils

The dental care process is completed by your care professional using gloved hands. This allows them to check for lumps or growths in your mouth using their fingers. They also look for any lumps in your throat or neck. 

If your physician determines that you may have signs of oral cancer or precancerous growths, you are referred to other tests to get proper treatment for the related condition. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have oral cancer. That diagnosis can only be made when the additional test results, such as biopsy findings, are returned.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

oral cancer screenings symptoms

There are several symptoms that we can associate with oral cancer. They mainly depend upon the area of your mouth where the cancerous cells are situated.

It is because oral cancer causes symptoms and its appearance, its associated symptoms largely relate to the complications that it may cause. These signs include but are not limited to:

  • Mouth pain
  • Lip sores or mouth sores
  • Loosened teeth
  • Ear pain
  • Difficulty eating
  • Difficulty swallowing

You must reach out to your primary physician or dentist if you have any of these symptoms. These signs usually appear when the disease has progressed to a noticeable degree. However, active and effective treatment can still be administered in these cases. That is why you must get oral cancer screenings in Tarpon Springs without any irregularities. This ensures that the disease can be caught in its early stages before it can cause any major complications for you.

The Risk Factors for Oral Cancer

Oral cancer has a variety of possible risk factors. These include the following aspects. 

  • Weakened immune system. 
  • Heavy alcohol use.
  • Tobacco use. 
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)

If you have any of these risk factors, you must discuss them with your general physician or dentist. This ensures that you can get your oral cancer screenings on time according to your lifestyle.

How Frequently Should the Screening Be Done?

Healthcare experts don’t quite agree on how often oral cancer screening should be done, especially for people with no risk factors. However, since it is recommended that you see your dentist at least once a year (ideally twice a year), many experts recommend that you get your screening done at the time of your regular dental checkup. 

This makes sure that your dentist can perform the screening on time while also cutting down any additional visits. In this case, if you have any risk factors, your dentist can recommend a more suitable time frame for these screenings. 

If you are feeling any symptoms of oral cancer, it is critical that you immediately contact a qualified dentist. For instance, you can contact Tarpon Dental to get your oral cancer screening in Tarpon Springs.

Is the Procedure Painful?

Oral cancer screening is not painful. It only relates to a visual and physical examination of your oral cavity, which includes your lips, gums, inner linings of your cheek, as well as the roof and foot of your mouth. Other areas such as the back of your throat and tonsils are also examined.

If your doctor detects any visible symptoms of oral cancer or precancerous lesions, the process may lead to a biopsy and other related tests. However, the actual screening itself is free of any invasive procedures and takes only a few minutes to complete. 

Call Qualified Dentists for Your Oral Cancer Screening Today

family orthodontist tarpon springs

At our family dentistry practice, our team of dentists holds extensive experience in performing oral cancer screenings for various regular and urgent patients. While cosmetic care can help preserve healthy mouths, it is essential to focus on medical, functional, and total oral care.

Whether you are trying to book an appointment for your regular dental checkup or looking for specific oral cancer screening due to any symptoms, feel free to contact us today. We can help you find the nearest available appointment right away. Please reach out for care as quickly as possible if you notice any issues or want to request an exam today. Our center focuses on health and healthy oral care to improve overall life.