Oral Cancer Screening

Oral Cancer Facts

Your regular visit to the dentist for a complete examination can be critical for detecting the signs of oral cancer. Identifying potential areas of concern early can be life-saving.

The rate of oral cancer diagnoses in the U.S. has risen steadily for over a decade. (cdc.gov)

Although use of tobacco is still a leading risk factor for oral cancer, those who do not use tobacco products may also be at risk due to exposure to the human-papillomavirus (HPV). (oralcancerfoundation.org)

In the U.S. alone, oral cancer kills one person every hour of every day. (checkyourmouth.org)

During your regular cleaning and examination visit, Dr. Barker and your dental hygienist will look for abnormalities in the oral soft tissues, including the lips, cheeks, tongue and gums. Suspicious areas may be dark or red spots, white lesions, abnormal lumps, swelling, or rough patches. Not all abnormalities will be cancerous, or even pre-cancerous; however, if symptoms have persisted for more than two weeks, further evaluation may be necessary.

Oral Cancer Self-Screening

Between dental visits, it is recommended that you conduct a self-examination once a month to check for changes in color, size or texture of the soft tissue in and around the mouth. More often than not, changes such as small sores, ulcerations and discoloration will be benign. If you detect changes that last for more than a few weeks, it is important to seek professional advice - contact our office to schedule an examination and oral cancer screening.

Visit Check Your Mouth™ at checkyourmouth.org for more resources and self-examination “how-to” videos.