Oral Cancer Screening
Here at Parkway Dental we strongly believe in educating our patients about all kinds of diseases and illnesses when it comes to dental health. We believe that being aware of the dangers of oral cancer and the importance of prevention is paramount to the education and care we are trying to provide.
Out of all the different types of cancers, oral cancer is the one that causes the most deaths, this is because it is usually too late when it is detected. People don’t usually show any signs until it is too late and there is not much treatment can do, that is why we encourage our patients to undergo regular checks to prevent or detect early stages of cancer that can mean higher chances for successful treatment and most importantly survival.
Alone this year, there will be about 10,000 deaths from oral cancer only in America, out of the 50,000 people that will be diagnosed. Treatment for oral cancer is more successful when it is detected during the early stages and here at Parkway Dental we encourage you to get a screening twice a year at least during your checkups.
The complete checkups we carry out will thoroughly examine you and check for suspicious tissue, abnormalities such as bumps around your cheeks, gum, throat, tongue and even neck. If the dentist believes there needs to be further testing a biopsy will be taken and sent to the lab, with the use of special lights and dyes the dentist can carry out a test in a very short time. Once the results come back, the dentist will monitor and continue to check to completely eliminate the possibility of cancerous tissue.
Anyone can get oral cancer, so it is very important to check yourself regularly, we really take our patients health seriously and we encourage at least a yearly screening. If you are interested in getting a complete checkup and preventive screening, please call us at (203) 408-2248. If you notice anything abnormal in your mouth or neck, contact your dentist immediately.