ORAL CANCER SCREENING

All Care Dental is not only dedicated to your smile, we're also dedicated to your overall wellness. We take a patient focused approach to your dental care, which includes an oral cancer screening as a part of your regular exam. Like many kinds of cancer, oral cancer can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

BENEFITS OF EARLY DETECTION

At All Care Dental we have the skills and tools to ensure that early signs and symptoms of oral cancer and pre-cancerous conditions are identified. While these symptoms may be caused by other, less serious problems, it is very important to visit our office to rule out the possibility of oral cancer. The most common symptoms of oral cancer include:

• Red or white spots or sores anywhere in the oral cavity
• A sore that bleeds easily or does not heal
• A lump, thickening, or rough spot
• Pain, tenderness, or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue

Our team is trained in a simple, quick screening that involves an examination of your oral cavity as a whole, and not just your teeth, to detect cancerous and precancerous conditions. All Care Dental now utilizes the state-of-the-art Veloscope VX enhanced oral assessment system that allows Dr. Chowdhary to screen for tissue abnormalities by enhancing the visualization of pre-cancers, cancer, and other disease processes. A VELscope® Vx exam can be performed in our office during your routine hygiene exam in about two minutes.

When discovered early the 5-year survival rate for oral cancer patients is about 83%. Unfortunately, most cases of oral cancer are discovered in late stages, when the five-year survival rate drops to around 50 percent. 

BECAUSE SCREENING IS CRITICAL

Aside from receiving an oral cancer screening during your checkup at our office, there are many things you can do to help prevent oral cancer.

• The best way to prevent oral cancer is to avoid all tobacco products and only drink alcohol in moderation.
• Maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
• Limit your exposure to the sun and always wear UV-A/B-blocking, sun-protective lotions on your skin as well as your lips.
• During your next dental appointment, ask your dentist to perform an oral exam. Early detection of oral cancer can improve the chance of successful treatment.

Ask about the benefits to early detection and our oral cancer screening on your next appointment with All Care Dental