What is Oral Cancer Screening: Procedure & Benefits
Nov 01, 2022
An oral cancer screening is done by your dentist o detect any precancerous condition or signs of cancer in your mouth. An oral cancer screening aims to identify mouth cancer early when there is a chance of curing it.
Most dentists examine your mouth during routine dental visits to check for oral cancer. Some dentists may also use additional tests to see areas with abnormal cells in your mouth. You based on your risk factors.
An oral cancer screening is an exam done by your dentist to help look for any signs of cancer in your mouth. Oral cancers may include mouth cancer, tongue cancer, and jaw-throat cancer. The areas examined during an oral cancer screening include your cheek lining, lips, tongue, tonsils, gums, and the floor and roof of your mouth. Oral cancer screening is performed during your regular visit to your dentist.
An oral can screening can detect different problems, including:
An oral cancer screening consists of two parts, a visual examination and a physical examination of your palate, gums, soft tissue, and tongue. Examining your face, lips, and the inside of your nose are other big parts of oral cancer screening. Before the screening, our San Antonio dentist will ask you to remove any oral appliances you may have, such as retainers and dentures. This helps to expose every possible area in your mouth that may be prone to oral cancer.
During the visual exam, your dentist will look for any asymmetries. They will also examine any swelling, lumps, white patches, rough patches, sores, and any other abnormalities will also be examined.
The dentist will also use a small light and mirror to look inside your mouth and nose. They will also examine the back of your throat using a tongue depressor.
In the physical examination, our dentist in 78250 will touch your cheeks around your jaw and your head, inside your oral cavity, and under your chin. Your dentist will be looking for anything that is out of the ordinary. They will also note if they find any unusual masses that may need further examination.
One sign of mouth cancer that is widely not known is the inability to move normally mobile tissue. These spots cause pain when pressure is applied to your mouth. Thus, not all cancerous areas will be painful.
In addition to the visual and the physical examination, certain technologies are used during the screening. For example, oral cancer screening devices like the VELscope can help the dentist identify precancerous cells which are invisible to the naked eye. The device works by shining blue light into your oral cavity. Normal tissue illuminates while precancerous or cancerous spots remain dark.
If your dentist does not find an abnormality during the oral cancer screening, they may take an amole of your cells and send them to the lab for a biopsy. Although oral cancer screening can alert your dentist to any possible problem areas, diagnosing the disease is much more involving.
Some of the key benefits of an oral cancer screening include:
Oral cancer screening is crucial for your oral cavity, so dental practitioners recommend getting them when you visit your dentist regularly. It will save your oral health and also future expenses that could be spent on treatment. If you need an oral cancer screening in San Antonio, TX, call or set an appointment with us at AB Dental and Oral Surgery today!