An oral cancer screening is easy. It can be completed in just a few minutes and doesn’t distract from your regular dental exam. Just ask your local dentist to complete a screening at the start of your next visit.
These screenings aren’t painful at all. Your dentist will conduct a quick inspection of your mouth, lips, and face, with no poking or prodding. If we discover something, we’ll schedule another visit to inspect it more closely.
Oral cancer screenings are inexpensive. Most screenings can be completed within five minutes, meaning we can roll it into your next exam.
Cancer is a terrible disease, and a quick screening can help save your life. Should you have oral cancer, your odds of survival are increased by as much as 20% if you catch it early.
When you visit a dentist, one of the first things that is done is a visual and physical inspection of the teeth and your mouth. This screening is another great reason to visit the dentist for a regular dental cleaning and check up as it could catch early signs or symptoms of oral cancer.
Visual Exam
During the exam, the doctor will look along your face, neck, lips, inner cheeks, the roof of the mouth, along the gums, below the tongue, and possibly even inside the nose. They will be looking for asymmetries, bumps, patches of color, or any other abnormalities.
Physical Exam
The physical exam is often done at the same time as the visual, and the doctor will use his or her fingers to feel along the same places for any unusual masses or cysts in the tissue of your mouth, along the jaw, and under the chin. The dentist may also ask if you feel any discomfort in any specific place.
When you schedule an appointment with your Mississauga dentist, the oral cancer screening is generally precautionary and there’s no need to worry. If the doctor notices anything out of the ordinary, further testing may be done, especially if you use tobacco. Keep in mind that if anything atypical is found, it is not necessarily cancer, it simply means that more screening is needed.
We were founded in order to bring our patients closer to their overall health by giving them an oral health that dazzles. Caring, professional and supportive, we aim to give your family a dental office they can be confident in.
From the quality cosmetic dental care and dental implants that will give you a full, confident smile, to general dentistry for the whole family, we offer some of the best dental care services in Scarborough.
With your oral health, waiting could be painful, dangerous or detrimental to your confidence. It’s time to make the next step and be confident in your smile again. Contact our dental specialists today.
