Here’s Why Your Dentist in Arcadia Regularly Tests for Oral Cancer

For years, dentists have found themselves in a very unique position to catch many diseases. Ailments that you wouldn’t expect your dentist to be able to catch contain markers that exclusively appear in the mouth in their early stages. In the case of oral cancer, your dentist is more equipped than ever.

When you visit your dentist in Arcadia, you may not even realize that during your routine exam, your dentist is also looking for the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. Find out why that matters today.

A Breakdown of Oral Cancer

There are about 50,000 newly-diagnosed cases of oral cancer reported annually, with about 10,000 people dying every year from it. That’s about one person every hour of every day. Most of these cases come with their fair share of risk factors, but around 25 percent of people diagnosed carry no risk factors at all. That means unless you’ve been cleared of any possible cancer from your dentist recently, you could have early signs and not even realize it.

Oral cancer kills more people than both cervical and skin cancer. Only about half of patients diagnosed live longer than five years. Keep in mind that it can appear anywhere in the head and neck, not just the oral cavity. It typically starts in the oral cavity and moves from there.

Risk factors for oral cancer include:

• Tobacco use
• Frequent and heavy alcohol consumption
• Constant exposure to UV rays
• Having HPV
• Poor oral care and/or nutrition

Why Screenings are Important

Until you’ve been examined by a medical professional, there’s no way to know for sure if cancer is present in your body or not. Oral cancer can easily mask itself as a common issue, such as a cold sore. This causes patients to not think twice about it, that is, until it’s too late. When your dentist performs an exam, he’s looking for:

• Red or white patches
• Sores that bleed easily or don’t heal
• Lumps, thickenings, rough spots, crust, or small eroded areas

If you notice pain, tenderness, or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips, be sure to tell your dentist in Arcadia. Also alert him of any sores that don’t heal after a two-week period. This will lead to either a brush or scalpel biopsy to detect potentially dangerous cancer cells in the early stages of disease.

Why Catching Cancer Early Matters

Oral cancer is just another reason why your dentist recommends patients visit him once every six months. In most cases, oral cancer is curable when caught early. Most of the cases where people die from oral cancer are because the patient failed to visit their dentist in time for discovery and diagnosis. In about 10 percent of patients, dentists recognized a problem area before the patient did, so it’s not worth the money saved to skip your regular visits.

Oral cancer can be caught and beaten when you make the right steps to do so. Schedule an appointment with your family dentist in Arcadia today to confirm your health status!

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth J. Canzoneri earned his dental degree from the Northwestern Dental School. If you believe you show signs of oral cancer, you can contact him at (626) 446-1679 or visit his website to schedule an appointment.