Oral Cancer - The Importance of Dental Check-Ups

---

By Arthur Kezian

 

How often do you go for a dental checkup? How often does your dentist do a screening for oral cancer as part of your checkup? Dentists recommend getting a dental exam once every six months. 

It is important for your dentist to not only check for possible cavities, but possible symptoms for oral cancer.

Your dentist will feel your mouth for lumps or irregular tissues in your neck, head, oral cavity, and cheeks. He or she will also check the soft tissues in your mouth looking for sore spots and any tissue that is discolored. This type of screening should be done every six months for preventative measures. 

Every year more than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in the United States. Oral cancer can be fatal if not treated properly in its early stages. The earlier the cancer is found, the earlier it can get treated. This is why it is very important to keep up with routine dental exams. Your dentist should make sure to send you reminder letters every six months or so. 

Some of the possible signs for oral cancer include lumps or thick spots, sores that do not heal and/or are constantly bleeding, soreness of the throat, hoarseness, numbness of the tongue, difficulty moving the jaw or tongue, or difficulty chewing or swallowing. Sometimes ear pains are also associated with oral cancer we well as changes in the way teeth fit. 

Ask your dentist for more information regarding oral cancer. It is important to take action from the beginning. It is better to be safe when it comes to something as important as this. Make sure to get yourself checked every time you visit your dentist. 

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com

 

-N.S.

Dental Visits Can Prevent Oral Cancer

By Arthur Kezian

Annual dental visits are not just for checking the health of your teeth and gums but are used as early prevention for diagnosing oral cancer. If it is diagnosed or caught early on, your chances of survival are much better. Dr. Kezian suggests that every individual gets at least two Dentist appointments yearly, unless otherwise noted. Although going to the Dentist can seem annoying or even scary, you will be thankful that you decided to go instead of delay or postpone your annual cleaning. If you have any family history of cancer of the mouth; you will want to go to the Dentist possibly a few more times yearly than the average person. If you have questions or concerns, make sure that you ask your Dentist about the importance of Dental visits.

What Causes This Cancer?

·         Your risks factors for getting oral cancer rise rapidly if you smoke, chew tobacco, or have a family history of it.

·         It is caused by using these substances in excess which can cause the oral cavity of your mouth to develop this cancer.

Symptoms:

·         The following symptoms are possible signs of developing oral cancer

·         Splotchy lesions that are in your mouth; ulcers that have not healed up after a few days; changes in your voice or your ease of biting/chewing; hoarseness that does not go away; and lumps that develop in your neck and throat

·         If you have any of these symptoms, you should visit Dr. Kezian and staff immediately so they can assess your health and the diagnose the possibility of cancer.

Preventing Cancer:

·         You can prevent this cancer by the following means -

·         Scheduling annual dental visits which will keep you in the constant care of a trained and professional Dentist who can catch any symptoms early on;

·         Reducing your in-take of alcohol or tobacco – studies have shown that too much alcohol and tobacco can cause oral cancer

·         Choosing not to go to tanning beds/use fake tanner on your lips will drastically reduce your probability of getting this cancer due to the chemicals that are found in them;

·         And, most importantly, if somebody in your genetic line has had oral cancer, make sure to stay in communication with a Dentist that you trust so that you will not be affected by and that it is caught sooner than later.

If you choose to keep a close eye on your oral health, you should first begin with an annual dental checkup as this is the number one sure fire way to prevent or slow down the spread of this cancer. When you go to the Dentist, talk to them about your concerns about this cancer and make sure that he or she know what they are talking about when they answer you. If they do not, find a new Dentist – one who is an expert in diagnosing it. Your dental and physical health depends upon having a good, trust-worthy Dentist who understands and knows about this cancer.

So, if you have a genetic history of family members who have had cancer of the mouth; you should be extremely vigilant in stopping any further influences that could cause this cancer. You should choose to stop going to tanning beds and you should limit your in-take of alcohol and tobacco. Cancer is never something to mess around with and you must know the symptoms of it – oral cancer has symptoms of white lesions that do not go away in your mouth; lumps on your throat and neck; hoarseness in your voice; and voice or bite changes. If you experience these, visit Dr. Kezian immediately to get annual dental checkups.

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 

-N.S.