The American Dental Association states that 60% of the US population sees a dentist every year. Just doing “opportunistic” cancer screenings of the existing patient population which visits a dental office every day, would yield tens of thousands of opportunities to catch oral cancer in its early stages.
The statistics are highly suggestive: when discovered early, the 5-year survival rate for oral cancer patients is about 83%. Unfortunately, most cases of oral cancer are discovered in late stages, when the five-year survival rate drops to around 50 percent. With the advances in modern technology, we are now able to observe any changes and abnormalities within the early stages.
RISKS FOR ORAL CANCER
Tobacco/Alcohol Use
HPV
Age
Sun Exposure
Diet
SIGNS OF ORAL CANCER
A sore, irritation, lump or thick patch in the mouth, lip, or throat
A white or red patch in the mouth
A feeling that something is caught in the throat
Difficulty chewing or swallowing
Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
Numbness in the tongue or other areas of the mouth
Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
Pain in one ear without hearing loss
