How Often Should I Go for Oral Cancer Screening?
Getting screened early for oral cancer enhances your chances of receiving successful treatment significantly. However, you don’t need to schedule oral cancer screenings at regular intervals by visiting various medical professionals.
Adults over 20 should receive an oral cancer screening every three years, while those over 40 receive advice to have themselves screened yearly. Even with significant intervals between the screening, you do not have to worry about oral cancer screening in St Armands if you are diligent in your dental hygiene regimen and visit your dentist for six monthly exams and cleanings because your dentist also performs oral cancer screenings without you realizing it.
If the dentist near you recommends six monthly appointments for dental prophylaxis, please do not remain under the assumption that the dentist will merely concentrate on your teeth and gums. Dentists also inquire into your use of tobacco, excessive alcohol, and HPV besides a family history of cancer during your appointment before starting to examine your teeth, gums, and the entire oral cavity, including the roof of your mouth, tonsils, inner cheeks, gums, and tongue. The dentist also palpates your jaw, outside the cheeks, and under the chin, feeling unusual masses of firm nodules.
What Is Involved in Oral Cancer Screening?
The oral cancer screening starts with a clinical exam of your mouth and throat. Using tongue depressors, dentist 34236 looks for abnormalities such as bumps, patches of color, swelling, and ulcerations. The professional examines all areas of your mouth as described earlier, including the interiors and exteriors of your face and head.
The dentist performs additional tests if they detect abnormalities by using a special dye and light to further examine the area for oral cancer.
Some standard tests performed by the dentist in Sarasota when evaluating your mouth for oral cancer include using lasers to reflect abnormal tissue unlike normal tissue, spreading toluidine dye over the suspicious abnormal area, which turns blue if irregular tissue is detected, and rinsing your mouth acetic acid solution when using a special light to evaluate the abnormal area.
When undergoing screening for oral cancer, the dentist doesn’t require more time than allotted to you or your appointment for dental prophylaxis. The entire oral cancer evaluation is completed by the dentist in under five minutes.
If you visit the emergency dentist in Sarasota for a dental exam or to treat an unexpected toothache, expect the dentist to identify irregular patches or lumps in your mouth and recommend undergoing an oral cancer screening with your regular dentist before the condition aggravates. The dentist might even suggest you contact monthly self-exams for oral cancer by providing you information on what to look for and report changes like white patches, lumps, or sores to your dentist for further evaluation.
What Happens If the Dentist Detects Abnormal Tissue?
Dentists are trained to identify and treat oral tissues in your mouth and prevent them. However, they are not oncologists or specialists in treating cancers. If the dental office in Sarasota identifies abnormal tissue in your mouth, they refer you to an experienced oncologist to have your symptoms evaluated and help you as required. Oncologists have a head and neck cancer program, including pathologists, radiologists, and medical oncologists who work collaboratively to ensure you receive the best care and treatment.
When your dentist detects abnormal areas in your mouth which they feel might be oral cancer, they don’t refer you to oncologists immediately. Instead, they request that you return for another appointment to observe changes in the abnormal spots and provide a referral if the condition worsens to ensure you receive timely treatment.
Most cases of abnormal tissue in the mouth are benign and not malignant. Therefore there is no reason for you to express fear when you receive information about oral cancer screening of your mouth by the dentist. Instead, consider the screening a complimentary gesture by the dentist to ensure the safety of your mouth and overall well-being and not a confirmation of any dastardly disease affecting you.
Dentists emphasize receiving six monthly dental prophylaxis to stay on top of your dental health and also receive oral cancer screenings, especially if you are accustomed to the habits discussed earlier and work in the sunlight for extended hours without adequate protection, which makes you susceptible to lip cancer. Above all, you receive the screening free of charge without requesting it, making it convenient for you never to worry about visiting medical professionals for oral cancer screenings. You receive the exams merely by maintaining your dental hygiene routines.
Tarpon Shores Dental — St Armands perform oral cancer screenings on all patients visiting them for six monthly and yearly appointments. If you have not received your dental exams and cleanings, please visit this facility to ensure you receive oral cancer screenings to confirm you have no infections affecting you.