Articles by or Featuring Stacy Johnson, D.D.S., M.S.
Oral Cancer
Oral cancer often starts as a small sore spot anywhere in the mouth but soon shows other signs which are less typical, including:
Bleeding from the sore
Color change of the oral tissues
Pain, tenderness or numbness of the mouth
Change in the way teeth fit together
Oral cancer is most often (but not always) found in those who use any form of tobacco and the risk is increased when combined with alcohol use. Upon reaching 40, the risk of oral cancer also increases. Though these contribute to the disease, 25% of oral cancer patients have no known risk factors.
Because this is a serious, yet often undiagnosed disease, it is important to get an Oral Cancer Screening when you come in as part of your dental examination. If the results from your screening are abnormal, additional tests will need to be done to ensure that you don’t have cancer. Cancer screenings are routinely done for patients with no signs of cancer, because if a person does have oral cancer it is important to catch it early before it begins to spread. The earlier the detection is found, the better the prognosis will be.
Please Do Not Miss Your Annual Oral Cancer Screening on your next visit.
