Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. Midwest Dental offices provide oral cancer screenings as part of your regular dental exam.

There are two main risk factors for oral cancer. Smoking and tobacco use are long-term historic causes of oral cancer. In addition, the HPV-16 virus, a sexually transmitted disease, is resulting in the fastest-growing segment of oral cancer patients being young, healthy, nonsmoking individuals.

The Symptoms of Oral Cancer Include:

    Sores in the mouth that bleed easily or do not heal
    A thick or hard spot or lump
    A roughened or crusted area
    Numbness, pain, or tenderness
    A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite down

When found early, oral cancers have an 80 to 90 percent survival rate. Dentists can be the first line of defense in identifying abnormalities in the mouth, which could be a sign of oral cancer.