Oral Cancer Screenings
Dentist in Wilmington, NC
Every year, over fifty thousand people are diagnosed with oral cancer. While treatments have high success rates, if oral cancer is detected in the initial stages, treatment will be less invasive and yield an even higher rate of success.
Regular screenings can help ensure that any potential cancers are detected early. Dr. Jacob Long recommends screening for oral cancer at least once per year. Our team will examine your mouth, throat, lips, gums, and tongue to check for any abnormalities during your screening. Let us know about any unusual symptoms that you have had, including:
- Pain or difficulty when speaking, swallowing, or moving your jaw or tongue
- A sensation that something is caught in the back of your throat
- Sore throat with no other sinus symptoms
- Lumps or swellings in or around your mouth
- Drastic weight loss
- White or red patches in your mouth
- Mouth sores that do not heal
- Frequent ear pain
- Bleeding in your mouth
Any of these symptoms may be signs of oral cancer. If they last without improvement for a week, contact us immediately for an appointment and oral screening for cancer.
In any person, oral cancer can develop, but there are factors that increase the risk. Some of the most common ones include:
- Use of tobacco in any form, including smoking
- Genetic predisposition
- Excessive or prolonged sun exposure
- An unhealthy diet
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages
- Having gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Being male
For more information on oral cancer screenings or to schedule an appointment, contact the team at The Dental Studio today.
May 15, 2023
