8 steps of an Oral Cancer Screening

April marks the month of Oral Cancer Awareness. Within each year over 36,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of Oral Cancer.

Below are various Possible Signs and Symptoms (from aaoms.org)

  • “While you may have no symptoms at all, you should
    see your oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dentist if
    you experience any of the following:

    • A sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal
    • A lump or thickening on the lips or gums or in the mouth
    • A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsils or lining of the mouth
    • Bleeding, pain or numbness in the lip or mouth
    • Change in voice
    • Loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit well
    • Trouble chewing or swallowing or moving the tongue
    • Swelling of the jaw
    • Sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat”

At Dr. Brown’s Office, our hygienists are trained to check for oral cancer in our patients. The earlier the detection of the cancer, the better chance for treatment and possibly a cure.

Check out the the Chart below to get an idea of how health professionals check for cancer within the mouth.

Information courtesy of http://www.aaoms.org where you can read more about cancer facts and view a self-exam guide: (http://www.aaoms.org/docs/media/oralcancerselfexam.pdf)

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