Oral Cancer Screening

Prevent and Treat Oral Cancer at the Dental Center of Redondo Beach

Oral cancer is a serious disease that can cause lifelong side effects. The symptoms can range from mouth or lip sores, sensitive teeth and gums, and jaw or mouth pain. Getting screened is important. If you are ready to take the first step in making sure you stay healthy, visit an oral cancer screening near you at the Dental Center of Redondo Beach.

What Is Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer is cancer that occurs in or around your mouth. Oral cancer forms because of abnormal cells forming in or around your mouth. These cells can then turn cancerous and spread throughout your mouth, throat, face, or the rest of your body.

Being over the age of 40, especially if you are a male over 50
Having a family history of types of cancer, especially oral cancer
Using tobacco or nicotine products, including chewing tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes
Excessive sun exposure
A poor diet consisting of foods and beverages that negatively impact your oral health, including alcohol
Some diseases, such as HPV
A lowered or weakened immune system

Who Should Get a Mouth Cancer Screening?

Everyone should regularly get an oral cancer screening, although the frequency varies depending on your age, gender, and whether you meet the risk factors. Those who are under the age of 40 only need to get a cancer screening once every three years. If you are over the age of 40, this increases to once a year.

Men over the age of 50, those with a family history of cancer, anyone who uses tobacco or nicotine products, heavy drinkers, and those who meet other risk factors should get an oral cancer screening yearly. When caught early, oral cancer can generally be treated. Do not wait and risk oral cancer symptoms becoming more difficult to treat or spreading across your body.

Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can be hard to detect because of its wide range of signs and symptoms. The number one most common sign of oral cancer is a persistent sore in the mouth that does not go away. This sore generally will not look like a normal cold sore or wound in your mouth, although it may be confused for one in some instances.

Oral cancer mouth sores inside of your mouth or on your throat tend to look like a red or white patch. These sores may bleed or be painful and sensitive. Some forms of oral cancer may show up as sores on your lip or gums. These sores may appear more as a lump or growth.

Other common signs and symptoms of oral cancer include:

A sore throat that will not go away with treatment
Bad breath that does not improve with oral hygiene
Numbness, tingling, or pain in your ears, jaw, mouth, or in your face
Swelling in or around your mouth
Pain or difficulty with speaking or swallowing
Loose teeth

While some oral cancer symptoms can be due to other oral health problems, such as gum disease or poor oral hygiene, it is always best to see a dentist to get a screening for oral cancer. This screening will be able to tell the difference between other oral health problems and oral cancer.

How Does Screening for Oral Cancer Work?

Your oral cancer screening will have multiple parts that help your dentist detect any signs of cancer. First, your dentist will begin by examining your mouth. If there are any problems or worrisome spots, let your dentist know so that he can pay extra attention to these areas. The examination of your mouth will include an inspection of your lips, gums, inner lips, tongue, throat, and roof of your mouth.

Next, your dentist may use an x-ray, oral cancer screening VELscope, also known as an oral cancer screening light, or other tools to further study your oral health. X-rays are used to detect if there are any hard-to-see underlying problems, such as issues with your jaw, bones, or the roots of your teeth.
Oral cancer screening VELscope is a special fluorescent light that helps your dentist look at your tissue or mucosa. The light can detect abnormalities that may be cancerous. Dyes may also be used to detect abnormal tissue or growths.

At this point, your dentist may need to take a biopsy of any concerning areas or ask you to return for another appointment in order to do further testing. Sores, lumps, or other concerning growths in your mouth will be tested during biopsies to ensure that they are not cancerous.

The final part of your oral cancer screening is a conversation with your dentist. This is an important part of checking for oral cancer because you can communicate with your dentist your concerns or risk factors that you meet. Oral cancer can be hard to detect in its earliest stages, so it is important that you communicate any concerns to your dentist.

Schedule Your Screening for Mouth Cancer

Do not neglect your oral health–get tested for mouth cancer today. Our expert dentist, Dr. Alen Gharibian, is trained in oral cancer detection and screening. Schedule an appointment with us today.

310-921-3938

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