How many of us ask a dentist to screen us for oral cancer?

It’s more likely that we will attend dental appointments as needed. However, dentists know that patients may not ask for oral cancer screenings and that is why we at Devonshire Square Dental Studio provide the screenings as part of our dental check-up policy.

Just like any cancer that may affect skin or organ cells, oral cancer may occur in the mouth. Symptoms include burning sensations, mouth sores or wounds that don’t heal, white patches on oral skin tissue, a lump or swelling in the mouth, or bleeding gum tissue.

Screening for oral cancer

Every part of the mouth is screened for oral cancer, including the palate, inner cheeks and tongue. Oral cancer may develop in the throat or on the tongue making it harder to talk. For this reason all oral soft tissues are checked.

We use ViziLite Plus, an oral solution, to screen for mouth cancer. Being screened with ViziLite Plus enables early detection of an oral cancer for treatment before it progresses into advanced stages. What ViziLite Plus does is contrast normal healthy oral tissue with abnormalities, making oral cancerous tissues look white on examination.

The oral cancer screening with ViziLite Plus is optional, however we ensure to offer it to our patients as part of our dental check-up policy so that all have a choice in oral cancer screening. Oral cancer may lead to lot of pain and shorten life expectancy. By diagnosing oral cancer sooner, treatments may be provided that may or may not include surgery and radiotherapy.

The risk of developing oral cancer may be reduced by not smoking, wearing protective gear if working in environments where exposure to damaging free radicals is high, preventing oral trauma such as wearing sports mouth guards, and having necessary dental care. Contact the team at Devonshire Square Dental Studio in the city of London for more information.