Oral Cancer Exam

Each year, oral cancer strikes thousands of Canadians. Of all the major cancers, oral cancer has the worst five-year survival rate. Only about 50 percent of those diagnosed with oral cancer will survive more than five years. In fact, oral cancer kills hundreds each year. The reason these statistics are so grim is because oral cancer is often detected in its later stages. But when it's detected early, before the disease spreads to destroy healthy tissue, the chances of survival are greatly improved.

Because early detection is vital to surviving oral cancer, we will perform a thorough oral cancer screening each time we see you in our office for an exam. We'll feel for lumps or abnormal tissue changes on your neck and inside your mouth. We'll thoroughly examine the soft tissues in your mouth, especially the most frequent oral cancer sites: your tongue, the floor of your mouth, your soft palate, your lips, and your gums.

You can also help yourself avoid oral cancer by letting our professionals at your clinic know if you notice any of these warning signs: a red, white or otherwise discolored patch or lump in or around your mouth, a sore that does not heal, or that bleeds easily, an area that seems to have thickened, raised or become hardened, a rough patch of tissue, difficulty chewing or swallowing, or a chronic sore throat or hoarseness.

And it's vital that you DO NOT ignore a mouth sore just because it doesn't hurt; most pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions are completely painless. You can also minimize your chances of developing oral cancer by making some lifestyle changes. Don't smoke or use chewing tobacco, avoid excessive alcohol usage, and make sure you're eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day.

 

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