Oral Cancer Screening
It is important that both private individuals, and members of the dental community, realize that a visit to the dentist is no longer only about a filling, a crown, or a postponable cleaning, but can be a matter of life and death. Dental examinations, when properly done and which include a screening for oral cancer, will save lives.
The Oral Cancer Foundation stated, “The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cancers which we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the testes, and endocrine system cancers such as thyroid, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma)” (OCF, 2013). If this is the statistic, and we are encouraging women to get pap smears yearly and men to have testicular cancer screenings, then we as hygienists need to make it a point to incorporate oral cancer screenings into our routine.
How often are oral cancer screenings recommended? The American Dental Association recommends that an oral cancer screening should be completed at the periodic oral exam visit (American Dental Association, 2012).
At PROGENTAL you will have an Oral Cancer screening with every visit in the dental chair!
RISKS FOR ORAL CANCER
Tobacco/Alcohol Use
HPV
Age
Sun Exposure
Diet
