Oral Cancer Screenings

It may not be the cancer we hear about most; it may not even be something most people think about at all, but oral cancer is one of the fastest-growing of all cancers and one for which the death rate has actually increased. The statistics are staggering: Every day, mouth cancer is diagnosed in about 100 people, and it accounts for approximately  3% of cancers diagnosed in men and 2% in women. In addition, oral and pharyngeal cancers are particularly dangerous because symptoms can be very subtle and go unnoticed until the cancer prospers. And while oral and oropharyngeal cancers may seem rarer than other cancers, they aren’t. Neither are they innocuous. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, “Oral cancer kills one person every hour, 24-7, 365!” That’s why we conduct a mouth, head, and neck screening for oral cancer, not only during your comprehensive exams but also at every hygiene appointment. Risk factors for oral cancer include tobacco and alcohol use, sun exposure, and a newly discovered and increasingly common cause – human papillomavirus, or HPV. If you or any member of your family use alcohol or tobacco or are sexually active, please come see us for an oral cancer screening with regularity. It could save your life! Call us to schedule your oral cancer screening today.