Oral Cancer - What You Need To Know

The causes of oral cancer are not all known. It's hard to believe, but 25% of oral cancer patients don't have any risk factors. They are under 40 years old and don't chew, smoke tobacco or drink alcohol. Because of this oral cancer exams need to be done on every patient! Oral Cancer used to affect 6 men to every 1 woman, but now 2 men to every 1 woman is diagnosed! The current statistics are 1 American an hour dies from oral cancer yearly equalling about 8,000 deaths a year.
The good news is Dental Professionals now have oral cancer screenings available. An exam is different than a screening. A exam can detect later stage cancers by finding the growth, tumor or tissue changes. A screening can detect cancer much earlier before detection on exam.
Examples of Exams for other cancers are a physical exam for breast cancer, but the screening is a mammogram. To examine for prostrate cancer a physical exam is done, but the screening is a blood test. Screenings save lives because cancer can be diagnosed early and early treatment has better survival rates.
Our practice continually looks for advances that better serve and protect our client's health.
We are concerned about oral cancer and offer the ViziLite Plus Oral Cancer Screenings and recommend them annually.