Oral Cancer Screening

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.

If you haven’t been in for a cleaning in the past six months, schedule an appointment with M Dental in Mississauga today!