5 Critical Oral Cancer Facts

Get an oral cancer dental checkup in San Luis Obispo.

 

Dental Checkups Are Not Just About Cavities

At Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy DDS we urge people to come in twice a year for a dental examination and cleaning.  If you abstain from twice-yearly dental checkups because you don’t believe you have any tooth decay, perhaps getting an oral cancer screening is a more persuasive reason to see your dentist regularly. (While your dentist is checking for oral cancer, we urge you to have a thorough dental exam as well!)

Oral Cancers Don’t Get as Much Attention

In the last few decades, lung and breast cancer have received a lot of public attention. There is relatively less awareness of oral cancer even though it claims almost 10,000 lives every year in the United States. If you smoke or have tested positive for HPV, you have an increased risk of developing oral cancer.

Early Diagnosis is Critical

At Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy DDS, we work to increase awareness of oral cancer and the importance of early diagnosis. Courtesy of the CDC, Oral Cancer Foundation, and Johns Hopkins Medicine, here are 5 vital things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.

1. About 80% of people with oral cancer use some variety of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).

2. 40% of individuals who receive a late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer pass away within five years. The survival rate for early-stage diagnosis is 90%.

3. In many cases, it is almost impossible for the individual to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers because they can produce unobtrusive symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be checked by a dentist or doctor.

4. HPV (the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the U.S.) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the various strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most repeatedly linked to oropharyngeal cancer.

5. Black males have a substantially higher risk of dying from oral cancer.

An oral cancer check is easy!

A visual oral cancer exam is relatively quick and convenient, especially as compared to other cancer screening tests such as colonoscopies and mammograms. If an abnormality is discovered during an exam, the patient is referred to an appropriate specialist for further testing and diagnosis.

Sources:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/oral_health/oral_cancer_and_tobacco_85,P00900/

HPV / Oral Cancer Facts


https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/conditions/index.html

 

Contact Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy DDS:

805-543-3016

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

4472 Broad St, Suite 160
San Luis Obispo, California
93401

 

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