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Oral Cancer Screening In San Antonio, TX 78201
Cancer is one of the world’s deadliest diseases, and oral cancer is one of the most toxic, killing thousands in the United States and millions worldwide each year.
What exactly is oral cancer screening? What are the early warning signs of oral cancer? Who is in danger of contracting this lethal disease? How can it be discovered promptly? These are the questions that will be addressed in this essay. Continue reading!
What is the purpose of an oral cancer screening?
Oral cancer is defined as a mutation of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) or mouth cells. As most of us are aware, DNA is an essential component of chromosomes in any body region. They also contain the human body’s genetic information.
Oral cancer is caused by cell mutations in the mouth that can develop and divide to form a tumor that can spread across the mouth and other organs such as the head and neck and different sections of the body. As a result, oral screening is required.
Oral cancer screening is critical in reducing, preventing, and protecting people from this illness. Without oral cancer screening, the early stages of the disease may go undiagnosed, allowing the disease to develop dramatically and decreasing the likelihood of successful treatment.
When should you get an oral cancer screening?
An early diagnosis of the disease allows for rapid treatment, which increases the likelihood of a successful outcome. This is only possible if the patient discovers symptoms of the condition early on and visits the dentist for an examination. The following are symptoms to be on the lookout for:
- An abnormal bite
- Indications of unexplained bleeding in the mouth
- White patches on the tongue or gums
- Sore throat or sores in the mouth
- Prolonged ulcers in the mouth with no sign of healing
- Blocked salivary glands
- Pain in the tongue, jaw, throat or ears
- Difficulty eating
- Pain when swallowing
- Numbness in the face
- Thick lining of the mouth
- Loose teeth
How is an oral cancer screening done?
When you go to the dentist for an oral cancer screening, the dentist will examine your entire mouth, not just your teeth. This is done to screen for precancerous and cancerous diseases.
Initially, the dentist checks for some of the symptoms mentioned above and then, using high-tech equipment such as a UV light, the thin cells lining the inside of the mouth and lips that cannot be seen with the naked eye are revealed. Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the name given to this lining (SCC).
Who is at risk for oral cancer?
In 2017, approximately 50,000 persons in the United States of America were diagnosed with oral cancer, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. According to this statistic, adults aged 50 to 70 are the most vulnerable.
The Oral Cancer Foundation recommends adults over 18 have an annual oral cancer screening.
Final Thoughts
Oral cancer screening is required for anyone who wants to live a long and healthy life, whether orally or otherwise. It takes minimal time and money to complete. Visit a dentist immediately for a consultation to protect yourself from mouth cancer.