What Are Oral Cancer Screenings & Steps for Mouth Screenings?
Before oral cancer reaches its advanced stage, it is extremely pivotal to diagnose it because early cancer treatment is not as severe. An oral cancer screening is an examination that helps the dentist to detect mouth cancer symptoms. Oral cancer includes tongue cancer, mouth cancer, and jaw cancer. During the screening, the professional will examine the areas like tonsils, lips, gums, cheek lining, tongue, roof, and floor of the mouth.
Who Should Go for Oral Cancer Screening?
The following adults must request oral cancer screening:
- Heavy alcohol drinkers.
- Who uses tobacco daily.
- Have a family history of cancer.
- Have HPV (human papillomavirus).
How Long Does an Oral Cancer Screening Take?
The procedure will take less than minutes.
What to Expect? – Steps for Mouth Screenings
The main motto of mouth cancer screening is to detect precancerous lesions or oral cancer signs. During your appointment at Bronxville Dentistry, the healthcare provider may use a blend of palpation, oral screening dyes, visual exams, and lights.
Visual Exam
The visual examination helps detect the regions of abnormal tissues in the throat and mouth. These usually include abnormally red areas and thick white patches.
Physical Exam
The dentist may also conduct a physical exam. During this, he/she will touch your mouth, neck, and face for strange bumps or lumps using their fingers.
- Tongue
The tongue should move fully or easily on both sides. One of the most common areas of mouth cancer is on the lateral border of the tongue. The professional may use a dental mirror to examine the tongue base thoroughly. The dentist will ask you to get out your tongue as far as you can. It will help to check the undersides and sides for red and white patches.
- Cheeks and Lips
Then, the dentist will feel for lumps or bumps along the cheek or lip area. The professional will pay special attention to the vermilion border of the lower lip because it is the main area for oral cancer.
- Mouth Floor
After that, the dentist will look for the red and white patches and lumps on the floor of the mouth. The mouth floor is a U-shaped region that extends to the ventral aspect of the tongue from the mandible alveolar ridge.
- Palate
The next step includes checking for soft areas, lumps, and red-white patches on the hard palate.
- Neck
Next, the professional will evaluate the neck for abnormal areas. For Example, enlarged lymph nodes could indicate a serious issue.
- Tonsils
Finally, the dentist will ask the patient to open their mouth wide and breathe in and out gradually saying “Ahh”. It helps to give a clear view of the oropharynx. Then, he/she will use a dental mirror to depress the tongue to check the tonsils for redness, symmetry, strange bumps, or enlargement.
Screening Devices
Numerous healthcare providers use oral cancer screening equipment like:
- Oral Brush Biopsy
This examination tool helps to eliminate cells from the mouth without pain for testing.
- Screening Dye
During this, the expert uses a toluidine blue dye to coat the lesion in the mouth. It helps to detect mouth cancer symptoms easily.
- Screening Light
Oral cancer screening lights are the specialized light used to detect abnormal tissues in the mouth. During this, the expert will ask the patient to use a fluorescent mouthwash to wash their mouth. After that, he/she will shine a special oral cancer screening light in the mouth. It makes abnormal tissues appear white and healthy tissues appear dark.
Frequency of Mouth Screening
Several factors determine how often you should get screened for oral cancer. The dentist near you is the best way to know how often you should receive the procedure. Usually, adults above 20 must get oral cancer screenings in Bronxville, NY every three years. However, those above 40 years must book the screening yearly.
Now is the Perfect Time to Speak with Your Dentist
Oral cancer can usually progress unnoticed. Even if you do not have any dental problems or have good health, you should still schedule an appointment for screening. Remember, not having a family history of oral cancer does not indicate you are risk-free. An oral cancer screening near you is faster and simpler than plenty of people might think.