Better Safe Than Sorry: Oral Cancer Screenings At The Dentist

No matter how happy a person may seem, there is always a little voice in the back of one's thought that worries about all the dangerous risks in life. Eventually, that voice can become overwhelming in regards to issues such as various forms of cancer. Unfortunately, when it comes to a disease such as cancer, people may not discover they have it until the symptoms have already spread. Fortunately, we can offer patients a chance to feel reassured or catch the symptoms early on for a more effective treatment at our office.

Oral cancer screening

We can provide you with an oral cancer screening in Santa Cruz during a regular checkup. The screening is a simple step that can help to save your life.  While oral cancer is something that most people do not think about, it is all too common.  In fact, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation, one person dies in the United States every hour due to oral cancer. This terrible disease impacts people of all ages, regardless of whether or not one appears to be healthy. Therefore, it is critical that you receive regular screenings at least once every six months. The screenings are not as complex as people think.

Who needs an oral cancer screening in Santa Cruz?

Everyone is at risk for oral cancer because like all cancers, there is a risk of developing this deadly disease no matter the age. However, certain people are at a greater risk for developing the disease. At the top of this list is men over the age of fifty and those that use smokeless tobacco products. For years, it has been thought that smokeless tobacco was healthier than smoking cigarettes and a safer alternative. While this is better for your lungs than smoking, chewing tobacco poses a direct risk to your mouth. People that chew tobacco are 60 times more likely to come down with oral cancer. This statistic makes quitting smoking and chewing tobacco the single most important thing one can do for health.

The Oral Cancer Foundation also states that those with a particular strain of HPV are at risk for developing oral cancer. This strain of HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that there is a vaccine for. We recommend that you speak with your family physician and if you are diagnosed with HPV, let us know.  That way, we can conduct a screening even more frequently.  As it is, those that use chewing tobacco or have HPV should schedule an oral cancer screening for twice a year.

Why is this important?

Early detection is critical because it makes early treatment possible.  One of the reasons that oral cancer claims so many lives is that people do not catch it early enough.  This is due to the fact that it is impossible to clearly see the inside of your mouth without assistance. When there are physical signs of cancer, it can be hard to identify them yourself. As a dentist, we can see what is happening inside of your mouth and determine if anything appears to be out of the ordinary such as:

• Rough patches
• Red and white bumps 
• Hard lumps

We can conduct a thorough oral cancer screening in Santa Cruz so that you will know the condition of your health and can take steps to address it. While we do not treat cancer in our office, we can provide you with a referral and give you suggestions for the next steps. 

For those that are not at a high risk, we still recommend that you have an oral cancer screening in Santa Cruz on an annual basis when you are having your teeth cleaned and examined. Call our office and schedule yours today.

Information for this blog was gathered from the Oral Cancer Foundation's website.

Oral Cancer Screening

We can provide a quick oral cancer screening during a checkup to ensure that you are cancer free. If we find any symptoms or early signs, we will recommend the next best course of action and treatment.

Kevin J Daily DDS

At Kevin J Daily DDS in Santa Cruz, we work to customize your treatment to match your needs and schedule where possible. Our professional staff aims to create a calm atmosphere for you during the appointment and treatment process. We will identify any dental issues you are struggling with and work with you to find the solution that works best for you.

Our staff seeks to create a comforting environment at the office to ease patients into the procedure. We can help prevent damage to your teeth and set you on track for a lifetime of quality oral health. At Kevin J Daily DDS, your dental health is our prime concern.