During dental examinations at The Sugar House Dentist in Salt Lake City, we always look for signs of oral cancer. Oral cancer refers to cancers in the tongue, mouth, lips, jaw, and throat.
Cancer – the “c” word – is about as serious as it gets. Yet many people don’t seem to realize the seriousness of oral cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 39,000 people will get oral cancer this year.
Consider this sobering news from the Oral Cancer Foundation: “The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cancers which we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the testes, and endocrine system cancers such as thyroid, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma).”
When we perform an oral cancer screening during your dental examination, we will look for red or white spots, bleeding, lumps, difficulty swallowing, loose teeth, any color changes, and mouth sores. Is is critical to tell us if your bite has changed, if you have sores that won’t heal, and prolonged hoarseness. An earache in only one ear can also be an indicator.
The existence of any of these symptoms does not mean you have oral cancer, as they can be caused by any number of other conditions. However, if we discover something unusual, we may order additional tests or refer you to a medical doctor for further diagnosis and treatment if necessary.
The Sugar House Dentist in Salt Lake City performs oral cancer screenings during each dental checkup, and it might just save your life. We also treat TMD and other conditions. Call for an appointment with us today.
Contact The Sugar House Dentist – Theurer Family Dental:
801-618-0197
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1955 S 1300 E Ste L2
Salt Lake City, Utah
84105
