Oral Cancer Screening
Portland, OR
Oral Cancer Screening provided by Dr. Eddie Ramirez
and Dr. Evan Campbell
in Portland, OR at Lombard Smiles
 Oral cancer screening is a procedure carried out by dentists to find out any precancerous diseases or cancer symptoms in the mouth. The main purpose of an oral cancer screening is to discover mouth cancer as early as possible when the chances of curing it are better. The screening is frequently performed during routine dental examinations. The dentist examines your mouth for ulcerations, lumps, swellings, discoloration, asymmetries, and other oral anomalies. In addition, the dentists also inspect the jaws, cheeks, face, lips, neck, oral cavity, and inside your nose—Visit Lombard Smiles to schedule an oral cancer screening.
Benefits of Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer screening has numerous benefits. First, it aids in the early detection of precancerous lesions that may progress to mouth cancer. These lesions are easy to eliminate, and the patient will heal completely if discovered early enough.
Patients diagnosed with throat and mouth cancers have risen dramatically in recent years. This is mainly associated with tobacco products like cigars, cigarettes, pipes, snuff, and chewing tobacco. Besides, prolonged exposure to the sun increases the risk of acquiring lip cancer. Heavy alcohol consumption and a previous oral cancer diagnosis can increase the risk of mouth cancer.
Oral Cancer Screening Preparation
Oral cancer screening does not need any prior planning since dentists can carry out the procedure during your regular dental visits. The dentist will access sores or red/white patches in your mouth during routine oral check-ups. They will feel all lumps and other anomalies in your oral tissues.
Dentists can decide to carry out extra tests to discover oral cancer. These consist of oral cancer screening light and oral cancer screening dye. During the examination, the dentist will place a bright light in your mouth to look for oral cancer. Abnormal tissues in your mouth turn white when exposed to light, while good tissues turn black. On the other hand, oral cancer screening dye includes rinsing your mouth with a specific blue dye before the examination. After rinsing your mouth with dye, any abnormal cells turn blue; hence your dentist identifies them easily.
Assume your dentist discovers any precancerous lesions or oral cancer symptoms. In that situation, they may advise you to return in a few weeks to see if the abnormal region is still present and if it has changed or grown over time. Dentists may suggest a biopsy, which includes collecting a sample of cells and taking them to a laboratory for further examination of cancer cells. For additional or special treatment, your dentist may refer or recommend you to an oral cancer expert—Visit Lombard Smiles to learn more about oral cancer screening. Call us today at (503) 206-0550 and schedule an appointment. |
