At Premiere Dental Arts of Frederick, we emphasize the importance of providing oral cancer screenings to our patients. By detecting any abnormalities in your oral health early, it will help you get the treatment you need to either reduce or eliminate the risk of developing a more serious oral health condition.

Our team will perform an examination of your mouth during a routine dental visit to screen for oral cancer. Additional tests may be performed to aid in identifying areas of abnormal cells in your mouth.

Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, can be found on the lips, tongue, gums, inner lining of the mouth, jaw or upper throat area. Early diagnosis is extremely important. There are a number of oral cancer symptoms that start to appear early on, including:

• Unexplained bleeding in your mouth
• Lumps or swellings in or around your mouth
• Problem or pain with swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue
• A mouth sore that won’t heal within two weeks
• White or red patches in your mouth
• Ear pain
• Dramatic weight loss
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you close your mouth
• A soreness of feeling that something is caught in the back of the throat

If you show any symptoms that last for more than a week and show no signs of improving, schedule an appointment with our dentist immediately.

Oral cancer can happen to anyone but is most developed by men. Those who smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipe smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancer, as well as users of dip, snuff or chewing tobacco. Oral cancer can also occur in those who drink alcohol, and who are exposed excessively to the sun. Oral cancer can also be inherited. It is important to note that anyone can get oral cancer.

Treatment success depends on the size, type and stage of the cancer. In most cases, small cancerous tumors are removed along with a small ring of healthy tissue that surrounded it and radiation or chemotherapy is then delivered to kill off any remaining cancerous cells.

Our dentists provide comprehensive, high quality dental care for families including oral cancer screenings. We make sure to understand your concerns and answer your questions, as well as take the time to fully diagnose any oral health problems.

Contact our dental office for more information on oral cancer screenings or for a consultation.