Early Detection and Diagnosis is Crucial for Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a type of cancer that affects your mouth. It’s divided into two categories. The first category is those occurring in your oral cavity, such as the gums, lips, tongue, cheeks, roof, and floor of the mouth. The second category is cancer in the oropharynx, such as the tonsils, tongue base, and throat.

How is Early Oral Cancer Detected?

Unlike other types of cancer, your dentist in Scottsdale, AZ, can quickly identify and treat oral carcinoma cells. During the oral screening, oral cancer will be detected. You’ll get an early diagnosis and treatment to prevent worst-case scenarios by visiting your physician or dentist.

The guidelines of oral cancer screening dictate that adults above 20 should go for screening once every three years. And people over 40 years of age should be screened annually.

Preventative and family dentistry professionals in Mercado Dental Care use non-invasive screening techniques. These tests use staining techniques that allow your dentist to isolate affected areas and tissues. When they detect some abnormalities, that’s the only time the procedure will need to turn to more invasive means. This happens by procuring a tissue sample for lab analysis.

Who is at Risk?

Oral cancer is caused and affected by a variety of factors. Due to these factors, it becomes difficult to identify the profile of an oral cancer patient. However, some people are more vulnerable in the face of oral cancer. This doesn’t necessarily mean that oral cancer is inevitable if one belongs to that group. Rather, it’s a precaution and reminder to go for oral screening in Scottsdale. These factors include:

• Age
• Nutritional deficiency
• Genetics
• Lifestyle choices like smoking
• Environment especially sun exposure to the lips
• Pre-existing conditions such as weakened immune system
• Sexually transmitted infections, especially human papillomavirus infection

The people who are often at risk of getting oral cancer are those under the age of 40. The risk is increased when the individuals drink heavy alcohol and smoke tobacco. A person with human papillomavirus (HPV) who may not be over the age line is equally at risk. Men are more prone to this type of cancer than women also. The chances increase if you have an unhealthy diet and have prolonged sun exposure.

However, even if one may not have any of the above risk factors, there’s a chance of developing oral cancer. So, you should visit a dental clinic for screening since early detection is important.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer carries its warning signs. However, some of these signs are similar to those of non-serious illnesses and mild infections, so it can be difficult to detect these symptoms. When you notice these symptoms, you should make an appointment with a Scottsdale dentist today. The early signs of oral cancer include:

• Noticeable and hard oral lumps
• Hoarseness
• Feeling numb when you bite
• Your teeth moving
• Emergent ulcers
• White and red mouth patches in the mouth
• Nasal hemorrhage
• Having bleeding cuts in your mouth that refuse to heal
• Having persistent gum swelling

Life-threatening and serious symptoms gradually become visible in the late stages of oral cancer. They include:

• Lockjaw
• Experiencing oral numbness
• Having earaches and difficulty breathing
• Airway obstruction

When one experiences these bursts, it’s best to visit an orthodontist near you to undergo oral cancer screening.

Oral Cancer Screening

This screening in our sedation dentistry in Scottsdale is pain-free and should not be a cause for concern. Your dentist will begin the screening with a medical history check-up. Your family’s medical history will also be examined to determine the likelihood of contracting oral cancer. Your dentist will then give you a physical examination which involves dental inspection. If there are no serious issues observed, the screening ends.

However, if you test positive for oral cancer during the screening, you’ll be subjected to higher levels of testing to determine the treatments you need. This lasts up to several months and gives physicians time for further testing.

These laboratory tests include:

• Computed tomography
• Complete blood count
• Magnetic resonance imaging scans

A tumour cell undergoes a biopsy examination at the dental office to determine whether it’s at the late or early stage. A complete screening concludes with a detailed tumour board. The information sheet includes the type of cancer found in malignant or benign, tumour location, tumour size, and lymphatic node proximity. These factors determine the treatment that one will undergo.