Why Regular Dental Checkups Are Important for Spotting the Signs of Oral Cancer
Most people go to their dentist for a cleaning and fillings, but their visit does much more than leave them with a smile as white as ivory. Regular trips to the dentist can literally save a life when oral cancer is diagnosed in its most treatable form.
Oral cancer diagnoses affect thousands of Australians every year, but often aren’t caught until they have gone quite far. The takeaway? Your dentist is well-placed to detect signs of trouble you won’t be able to see yourself, so all those frequent visits are an important part of your regular routine.
Understanding Oral Cancer
Oral cancer refers to cancer of any site in the mouth, including the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard palate, soft palate, sinuses, and throat. Oral cancer can be life-threatening if it is not detected early and treated.
The American Cancer Society estimates that over 54,000 people will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer this year, and the numbers in Australia are also concerning. The most alarming fact about these figures is that the five-year survival rate significantly declines if the oral cancer is detected in late stages. But if oral cancer is detected early, the survival rate can be as high as 80%.
Key Risk Factors to Consider
While anybody can get oral cancer, there are some risk factors under which its occurrence becomes more probable. Tobacco continues to be the highest cause, whether it is cigarette, cigar, pipe, or smokeless tobacco consumption. Heavy use of alcohol also raises the risk factor significantly.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has emerged as an important risk factor for cancer of the throat and base of the tongue. Rising age is another risk factor, since most oral cancers arise after the age of 40 years. Risk is also two times higher in men than in women, though this gender difference is declining.
The sun will expose you to a higher risk of lip cancer, and a diet lacking fruits and vegetables will expose you to oral cancer. Cancer or a compromised immune system in your family history will also increase the risk.
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How Dental Checkups Save Lives
When you visit local dentists on the Central Coast to have your regular check-up, your dentist is not checking just for cavities. Your dentist is doing a thorough oral cancer screening, examining for spots in your mouth that you are unable to feel or detect yourself.
Your dentist looks for abnormal changes in tissue, such as abnormal lumps, bumps, or patches of discoloured tissue. They examine you for sores that have not healed within two weeks, abnormal bleeding, or numbness. Part of the examination involves palpation of your jaw and neck for swollen lymph nodes, which may indicate cancer.
Professional education enables dentists to differentiate between harmless variations in the oral tissues and potentially dangerous changes. Dentists use special equipment and techniques to closely inspect areas that are hard to see. Some dental offices even use sophisticated screening technology, which can spot cell changes prior to them being apparent to the naked eye.
The Need for Consistency
Six-monthly routine checkups enable your dentist to oversee your oral health in the long term. The regularity is required since they’re accustomed to the good condition of your mouth, and they can detect any change at once between visits.
Early detection greatly improves the success of the treatment and would overall allow less invasive treatments. Your oral cancer treatment could be as simple as minor surgery if detected early, rather than more complex procedures interrupting your speech, eating, or swallowing.
