Your Routine Oral Cancer Screening
Did you know that getting an oral cancer exam was a crucial part of every dental checkup we perform at PMD Dental Care in Port Melbourne?
Since oral cancer is such a dangerous disease, it’s crucial to intercept it as early as possible. Sadly, it’s often hard to detect. That’s why so many people who have oral cancer never realize there’s even an issue until the disease has reached an advanced stage.
As your Port Melbourne dentists, we can help break the cycle in oral cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. By screening your mouth at least twice per year, it’s possible to detect precancerous and atypical tissues in their earliest stages.
The sooner oral cancer is diagnosed, the more effective (and successful) your treatment can be — whether it’s surgical, radiation, or chemotherapy. But if oral cancer is aggressive and you wait to have it checked, it can spread into other areas of your body and be more challenging to manage.
What We’re Looking For
During your oral cancer screening, we’ll be looking for things like:
- Red or white spots or patchy areas
- Lumps or nodules in and around your mouth
- Tissues that look different on one side of your mouth than the other
- Sores that aren’t healing like normal
- Loose teeth
- Cysts or growths on your dental X-rays
- Swollen lymph nodes
If precancerous tissues are suspected, we’ll usually order a small biopsy for further evaluation. Within a couple of weeks, you can have a firm diagnosis as to the type of cells present, and we’ll guide you through the next steps to take.
When Was Your Last Screening?
Regular dental exams and oral cancer screenings could save your life. If you’re not sure when the last time was you had an evaluation, contact PMD Dental Care in Port Melbourne today!