Oral cancer, in its latter stages, can be quite obvious to anyone. Hopefully, your dentist will be able to detect problems long before they get to that stage. Many dentists (although not all) perform oral cancer screenings as a regular part of their dental exams. Dr. Glennon at Austin Dental Center is one of the Austin dentists who provide oral cancer screenings for patients.
There are several ways a dentist looks for signs of oral cancer, such as:
• Using a special light that he or she shines in your mouth – Use of this type of light will make normal tissue appear dark and any abnormal tissue (such as possible cancerous areas) appear white or light in color.
• Visually inspecting your mouth – All dentists will look closely at your mouth during a routine exam. He or she will be looking for red patches, white patches, lumps, sores or any other tissue that looks unusual or questionable.
• Using a dye – Some dentists ask patients to rinse their mouths with a blue dye prior to a dental exam. This type of dye will make abnormal tissue in your mouth appear blue.
If your dentist suspects that you may have the beginnings of some form of oral cancer, he or she will probably ask for a biopsy to be done on the affected area of your mouth. If you’re not sure whether your dentist is performing an oral cancer screening during your routine dental exam, ask for one. Just as is the case with any other form of cancer, early detection and treatment is always the best way to fight the problem.
Resource: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mouth-cancer/expert-answers/oral-cancer/faq-20058324
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