Oral cancer includes cancers of the lips, tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, throat (pharynx), sinuses, and hard and soft palate. While oral cancer can usually be successfully treated when detected early, most cases of oral cancer are not detected until they have progressed into a more serious, advanced stage that is much more difficult to treat. In fact, oral cancer may be life-threatening. At our office, we are dedicated to doing all we can to detect and treat oral cancers and other abnormalities at the earliest possible stage. During your routine dental cleanings and exams at our office, our dentists and team will perform an oral cancer screening to check for the signs of oral cancer.

The following are common symptoms of oral cancer:

• A persistent sore throat or feeling that something is caught at the back of the throat
• Unexplained bleeding in the mouth
• A persistent or lasting sore on the face, neck or mouth that bleeds easily and does not heal within two weeks
• Unexplained loss of feeling, pain or numbness in the face, neck or mouth
• Ear pain
• Lumps, bumps or rough spots on the gums, lips or other parts of the mouth
• Red, white or speckled red-and-white patches in the mouth
• Difficulty chewing, speaking or swallowing
• A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together

Our practice uses the state-of-the-art Vizilite PRO® device to screen for oral cancer. This device uses five powerful violet LED lights that show biofluorescence in the oral cavity without turning off the room lights. An eyepiece and optical viewing filter increases contrast between healthy and abnormal tissue, making it easy for our dentists to distinguish potentially cancerous tissue, lesions and other abnormal tissue formations. This quick detection helps ensure that oral cancer and other issue can be diagnosed in their earliest stages, ensuring swift treatment.

While our team will perform a screening for oral cancer to check for these and other symptoms, we encourage you to contact us if you notice any of these problems or if you experience any other type of dental pain. We are committed to helping you stay in good health.