100 S University Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608
Protect Your Health With Oral Cancer Screening
Thousands of people each year succumb to oral cancer, losing their lives to this deadly disease. Like most types of cancer, mouth cancer is treatable if it is detected early. Oral cancer is a sneaky disease and often does not have any symptoms until it has begun to spread or is in the later, dangerous stages. As part of our general dentistry services at Hollon & Taylor Dental in Mobile, AL, we offer oral cancer screening that can help detect mouth cancer in the earlier stages to increase the chance of effective treatment.
Oral cavity cancers cause an estimated 10,000 deaths each year in the U.S., and over 50,000 are diagnosed with this disease annually. The highest occurrence is in people over 55 years of age – about 80% of cases are in this group, but 20% of people are younger than 55. The most common places for oral cancer to occur are on the tongue, gums, floor of the mouth, tonsils and oropharynx. Mouth cancer can also occur in the lips and salivary glands.
In many cases of oral cancer, there are no symptoms. However, there are some possible signs of mouth cancer that can alert you to a problem. Bumps or lumps in the mouth, red or white spots, changes in the oral tissue, pain when swallowing and oral sores that do not heal are some of the possible symptoms of oral cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, you should schedule a dental exam and oral cancer screening immediately.
Identify Mouth Cancer Early
Many of the early signs of oral cancer are not easily detected without a professional oral cancer screening. With this exam, our dentist looks closely at the oral tissues, using specialized equipment, for any signs of tissue changes or other symptoms of oral cancer. Including an oral cancer screening with your annual dental checkup is recommended to identify mouth cancer signs early for the best chance of effective treatment and survival.
A quick, non-invasive oral cancer screening once a year could save your life. Come visit us at Hollon & Taylor Dental for an annual dental checkup and mouth cancer screening to protect your oral and overall health. Contact our office in Mobile, AL, to book your next visit today.