What Happens During an Oral Cancer Screening?
April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and the team at Sunrise Dental wants to help bring more awareness to our community. We will be offering free oral cancer screenings on April 30th from 8:00 am to noon. We’ll also match every donation we collect this month for the Oral Cancer Foundation.
Did you know?
- Approximately 54,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year.
- Every hour, one person dies from oral cancer in America.
- Early detection and treatment can help prevent many of the negative effects of this horrible disease.
- Your dentist might be the first to spot the signs of oral cancer, so scheduling regular checkups is very important.
What happens during an oral cancer screening?
An oral cancer screening only takes about five minutes. First, the person performing your screening will ask you questions about possible symptoms. Next, they will perform a visual examination to check for any apparent signs of oral cancer. Then they will gently probe your neck, jaw and face in a tactile exam to check for deeper signs of cancer. They might also use a blue light to reveal any recent tissue changes inside your mouth.
Who should get an oral cancer screening?
Anyone over 18
Even young people can be at risk for oral cancer, depending on their lifestyle and genetics. Oral cancer cases are on the rise in the 25-45 age group.
Smokers
Tobacco use, as well as heavy alcohol consumption, have both been linked to oral cancers in the front of the mouth.
Anyone with HPV-16
This virus frequently causes cancer in the oropharynx, or the back of the mouth, usually in the tonsils or the base of the tongue.
Donation Matching
This month, we will be accepting donations on behalf of the Oral Cancer Foundation. The Oral Cancer Foundation seeks to reduce the incidence of oral cancers through screening and offers support to people who have been impacted by this disease. Our office will equally match all of the donations we collect. For more information, or to donate directly, visit oralcancerfoundation.org.
Free Oral Cancer Screenings in Peoria, AZ
Sunrise Dental will be hosting free oral cancer screenings in our office from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on April 30, 2021. We are located at 7505 West Deer Valley Road, Suite 100 in Peoria, Arizona. Although we will accept walk-ins, appointments are preferred! Call 623-487-4870 today to schedule your free oral cancer screening.
Photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash used under Creative Commons license for commercial use 4/20/2021.