Oral Cancer Screening
Kent Dental Clinic
Our practice is committed to your complete wellness in addition to your smile. As part of our comprehensive approach to dental care, we incorporate an oral cancer screening into every routine visit. Oral cancer, like many other types of cancer, can be fatal if it is not detected and treated at an early stage. The survival rate for oral cancer is only 20-30% and it is a dangerous ailment that is frequently only diagnosed quite recently. This is primarily due to the fact that it may be painless and symptomless in its early stages.
Because early oral cancer identification is so crucial, Seablue Dental screens for the disease at every appointment. We are equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary to recognize early indications of oral cancer and precancerous diseases. Although these symptoms might be brought on by other, less severe issues, it is crucial to see our clinic to rule out oral cancer.
Early Detection
All family members over 18 should, in the opinion of Seablue Dental, undergo screenings at least once a year. When patients engage in established risk factors, such as tobacco use, we advise more frequent screenings.
The screening is a quick, painless test that takes 3-5 minutes. Along with your twice-yearly checkups and cleanings, contact your Kent dentist right away if you or a member of your family exhibits any of the following potential oral cancer symptoms:
- A cut or sore not healing after 14 days
- A strange bulge or blemish inside the mouth
- Any unexpected discomfort or issues with swallowing, speaking, or chewing
- Oral alterations that resemble warts
- Persistent hoarseness
- Numbness in the face or mouth
Our staff is educated in a rapid, painless screening procedure that looks at your entire oral cavity, not just your teeth, in order to find malignant and precancerous disorders. We will examine your mouth visually in addition to feeling the tissue in your mouth and throat for any anomalies. If we discover a problem region, we might conduct a quick test, such a brush test or a biopsy, which removes cells from a worrisome oral lesion and sends them to a lab for testing. After the test, we arrange a consultation with the dentist so you may go over the results.
There are numerous things you can do to help prevent oral cancer in addition to having a screening done when you visit our office for a checkup.
- Avoiding all cigarette products and limiting your alcohol consumption to occasional drinks is the greatest method to prevent oral cancer.
- Keep up a balanced, healthful diet.
- Avoid spending too much time in the sun, and constantly protect your skin and lips with UV-A/B-blocking creams.
- Ask your dentist to perform an oral examination during your subsequent dental appointment.
- The likelihood of successful therapy can increase with early oral cancer discovery.
