Oral Cancer Screening and its Benefits

Oral cancer is one of the common and deadliest types of cancer that claim millions of lives all across the world. Oral cancer's high fatality rate is often because its symptoms do not show up in the initial stages. However, if the condition is detected in its earlier stages, there is a high chance of curing it. 

When you visit Oral Concepts Chicago for dental checkups, our expert dentists in Homewood and Chicago perform oral cancer screening to look for and identify the symptoms of cancer or precancerous issues present in the mouth to identify the condition early when the chance for a cure is better.

Who Needs Oral Cancer Screening?

Though it is recommended that everyone undergo oral cancer screening regularly, some people are in the high-risk category. The major contributing factors that might lead to oral cancer are as follows:

• Heavy alcohol use
• Using tobacco
• Overexposure to sunlight leading to lip cancer
• Genetics and family history

The use of tobacco-containing products is one major cause of oral cancer. Tobacco contains carcinogens that can lead to the growth of cancerous cells when they come in contact with the mouth's soft tissues. When these cells grow to form clusters over time, lumps and cysts can develop under the soft tissues, leading to oral cancer. 

The symptoms of oral cancer are the following:

• Tissue decay that doesn't heal 
• Lesions and cysts in the soft tissues
• A hard, painful lump in the mouth
• Discolored areas or patches in the mouth 
• Pain or intense burning sensation in the mouth while eating hot foods
• Soreness in the throat
• Difficulty in swallowing food
• Loss of sensation as the affected tissues become numb
• Sores on the inner lining of the mouth, releasing pus

Oral cancer screening at Homewood and Chicago

Oral cancer screening at our dental offices in Homewood and Chicago includes a complete examination of the patient's mouth - gums, inside the cheeks, tongue, lips, throat, and the roof of the mouth, visually and using advanced cancer-detecting equipment to look for the presence of any unusual lumps or spots. If we detect any symptoms, we will suggest suitable treatment to eliminate the infected tissues and destroy the cancerous cells. 

Benefits of oral cancer screening

• Easy procedure:The procedure of oral cancer screening is easy and can be completed during a dental exam. 
• It can save your life:Early detection of oral cancer improves the chances of successful treatment and recovery.  
• It is inexpensive:Oral cancer screening is an inexpensive procedure and can be carried out during regular dental exams without any extra fee. 

To know more, please reach out to our Chicago dental office at (773) 374-9778 or Homewood dental office at (708) 914-4381 or schedule an online consultation.