When a person schedules a dental checkup, they don’t often think about anything besides having their teeth cleaned. However, it is a good idea to schedule an Oral Cancer Screening in Austin TX to see if there is the risk of developing oral cancer. A screening is uniquely designed to catch the earliest signs of oral cancer before they have a chance to progress to a more advanced stage.
An oral cancer screening is important because if this disease is caught early enough, it can be successfully treated. About 84 percent of all cases of oral cancer are able to be detected by a dentist. When a dentist conducts this screening, they are going to use several tools to search for any mouth sores or discoloration. They will also feel the tissues around the mouth for abnormalities and lumps. If they detect anything, they will send a sample to be tested in the lab.
Who is at Risk for Oral Cancer?
There are a few risk factors that may make a person have a higher risk of developing oral cancer. These include:
• Someone with an unhealthy diet
• People over the age of 40
• Tobacco use
• Prolonged exposure to the sun
• Gender -; men are more likely to suffer from oral cancer than women
• Heavy use of alcohol
• The human papillomavirus
While there are studies that show that most people who are diagnosed with oral cancer have at least one of these risk factors, the fact is, more and more people have no symptoms prior to diagnosis. This means that seeking an Oral Cancer Screening in Austin TX is more important than ever before.
Symptoms of Oral Cancer
When a person’s dentist screens them for oral cancer, there are certain symptoms they will be looking for. This includes:
• White or red patches in the mouth
• Pain or numbness when the person bites down
• Hard spots or lumps in the mouth
• Areas that don’t heal or continuously bleed
When it comes to cancer, a person can never be too careful. Seeking regular oral cancer screenings is the best way to catch this disease early on. Additional information about oral cancer screenings is available by visiting the website.
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