Did you know that nearly 54,000 Americans receive an oral cancer diagnosis every year? What’s worse is that oral cancer has a five-year survival rate of 57%, meaning that just a little more than half of all people diagnosed with the condition are able to survive five years after being delivered the bad news. What’s fortunate, though, is that oral cancer isn’t particularly difficult to diagnose – and screenings performed by your dentist during routine, biannual checkups can be an important tool in mitigating this deadly disease. Here’s what you need to know.
What Exactly Is an Oral Cancer Screening?
An oral cancer screening isn’t a type of fancy or specialized appointment that you’ll need to fit into your busy schedule – it’s something that actually occurs during a routine dental checkup and cleaning, which you should already be attending twice a year.
While your dental team is inspecting your smile for signs of concern, they will also look for any potentially cancerous symptoms present inside your mouth. Oral cancers include mouth cancer, jaw cancer, and tongue cancer, and all can manifest symptoms inside the oral cavity.
Your dentist will examine the floor and roof of your mouth, your gums and lips, as well as your tongue, tonsils, and any other surrounding soft tissues. If anything suspicious is found, you can be referred to an oncologist for further testing, diagnosis, and treatment.
Tips for Staying Oral Cancer-Free
Although oral cancer is quite serious, it isn’t something that should cause you to live in fear; between routine checkups and making smart lifestyle choices, you can effectively safeguard your smile. Consider the following tips:
- Maintain excellent oral hygiene outside of the dental office by brushing and flossing every single day. It also doesn’t hurt to supplement your routine with an antibacterial mouthrinse.
- Avoid bad lifestyle habits like smoking or using tobacco products; these are notorious for being linked to conditions like oral cancer.
- Keep tabs on your smile at home and examine your teeth and gums regularly in the bathroom mirror, keeping your eyes peeled for odd growths or unfamiliar symptoms; don’t rely solely on your biannual checkups!
Just because April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month doesn’t mean you should neglect to think about the condition the rest of the year – while you shouldn’t worry, you should at least continue to care for your smile and attend your biannual checkups!
About the Practice
Under the talented leadership of Dr. Jonathan Zahner and Dr. Shawn Zahner, the team at Zahner Dental has proudly served the needs of patients and families in Ellington and the surrounding area for several years. They offer a wide range of preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatment options, and rest assured, every checkup at their office includes a detailed oral cancer screening to ensure that no concerning symptoms ever go unnoticed. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to get in touch with the team to set up an appointment, please reach out online or call today for more information. Telephone: (860) 870-9031.