Oral cancer screening is an examination done by your dentist to check for cancer warning signs or precancerous conditions in the mouth. This screening is typically performed alongside routine dental checkups. Depending on your specific circumstances, your family dentistry professional here at Marvel Dental in Carson City, NV, Dr. Jamie Marvel Melarkey, might utilize extra tests to help in identifying abnormal cells inside the mouth.
Why Oral Cancer Screening is Done
The number of individuals who’ve been diagnosed with throat or mouth cancers has been steadily rising over the past couple of years. While the reason for this isn’t clear, lots of these cases are related to the HPV or human papillomavirus, which is sexually transmitted.
With that said, the primary objective of an oral cancer screening is the detection of oral cancer or precancerous growths or lesions that could potentially signal cancer at its earliest stages. This is because this is the time when lesions or cancer is easiest to treat and has the potential to be cured.
Individuals with an increased risk of developing oral cancer stand to benefit the most from regular oral cancer screenings. You may have an elevated risk of developing oral cancer include the following:
- Tobacco use, including cigarette smoking, chewing snuff and tobacco, pipes, cigars, etc.
- Excessive alcohol use
- A history of oral cancer and/or excessive sun exposure, increasing the risk of developing lip cancer
If you are worried about your risk for oral cancer, discuss your concerns with your family dentistry professional in Carson City, NV. This will help determine the most suitable cancer screening tests for your case and lower your oral cancer risk.
Oral Cancer Screening Results
If your dentist finds precancerous lesions or any indication of oral cancer, she might likewise recommend follow-up visits and a biopsy. The follow-up visits are for monitoring abnormal areas and checking whether they have changed or grown over time. The biopsy procedure is for extracting cell samples for lab testing to see whether there are cancer cells present.
Contact Us For Any Questions or More Information About Oral Cancer Screening
Arrange a visit with your family dentistry professional, Dr. Jamie Marvel Melarkey of Marvel Dental here in Carson City, NV, by dialing (775) 884-3322.