The Importance of Oral Cancer Screenings

The Importance of Oral Cancer Screenings

Regular checkups at the dentist’s office are important to your health because they ensure that your smile is not sustaining any damage from gum disease, tooth decay, and other common oral health problems. These exams are also important for your whole-body health, because they include oral cancer screening, which can play a significant role in the successful treatment of this serious condition. Here is a closer look at the benefits that oral cancer screening will offer to your health.

Improved Prognoses

Oral cancer is often not diagnosed until it has spread to other areas of the oral cavity or to the lymph nodes. When oral cancer has spread in this way, treatment will be much more complex and the prognosis for the condition will not be as bright. Currently the American Dental Association reports that the five-year survival rate is just over 64%, but this could be drastically improved with more consistent screening.

Assessment of Risk Factors

When the dentist performs an oral cancer screening, he will not only check for the characteristic sores and skin discoloration patterns of oral cancer, but he will also discuss the preventable risk factors of the disease with you. The most preventable risk factor for oral cancer is tobacco use, but there are other lifestyle choices that may be affecting your risk, and your dentist can help you make the appropriate changes to reduce or eliminate these factors.

Better Total Oral Health

As you raise your awareness of the signs of oral cancer, you may work harder to improve your oral care routine at home. This will help you care for your teeth and gums better on a daily basis, helping to improve your dental visits in the future.

If you have not recently been screened for oral cancer, schedule an appointment with Dr. John Carson, DDS, at his friendly Tucson dental practice. You can reach our office by calling (520) 514-7203, or you can visit our website to explore the complete range of advanced dental procedures that we offer.