Chances are if you’ve been to the dentist, you’ve had an oral cancer screening and may not have even known it. At our dental office, we check your mouth for signs of oral cancer during every visit. During these visual screenings, we check your tongue, floor of your mouth (under your tongue), the inside of your cheeks, gums, palate, and lips for signs of oral cancer.
Oral cancer is just one of the reasons it’s important to have regular checkups with a dentist. Having regular checkups gives us the opportunity to find signs of oral cancer early, so we can begin treatment immediately, and reduce your risk of having extensive damage to your mouth.
If you use tobacco products – cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, pipes – or drink alcohol frequently, or your lips have had excessive exposure to the sun, you have an increased chance of developing oral cancer.