Oral Cancer Screenings in Houston, TX
At Houstonian Dental, we are committed to improving your smile’s look and devoted to fostering your overall wellness. We take a comprehensive approach to dental healthcare and embrace preventive care as an instrument for propelling good oral health. Oral cancer screening in Houston, TX, is an element of our regular exams.
Oral cancer can seriously harm your health and can be life-threatening. This is why, like many other cancers, a professional should diagnose oral cancer early on, and you should commence treatment in time. Our dentists near you have the tools and skills to ensure we catch the cancer signs early on.
Oral Cancer Symptoms and Signs
If you go for oral cancer screening near you at our Houston dental clinic, our dentists will look for certain symptoms and signs. While these symptoms could mimic those of other, less serious diseases, it is prudent that you have them ruled out to be oral cancer. Common symptoms include:
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A sore that easily bleeds or does not seem to heal
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Red or white patches or sores in the oral cavity
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A thickening or rough spot or a lump inside the mouth
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Tenderness, pain, or numbness on lips or inside the mouth
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Difficult speaking, moving the jaw, swallowing, chewing, or moving the tongue
Oral Cancer Screening Process
Our oral cancer screening dentists are trained to do a simple, quick screening involving an exam of the dental cavity for cancerous and precancerous conditions. Visually, we check for lesions, abnormally red areas, and thick white patches. To feel the areas, we do palpation, using fingers to feel for growths of lumps around the neck, jaw, and face.
If we see areas of concern, our Houston dentist may conduct a simple test like a brush test, where we collect cells from the site and have them analyzed in the lab. We may also do a biopsy for further testing if the brush test results are positive.
Contact Houstonian Dental if you haven’t had oral cancer screening done lately or if you notice suspicious signs in the mouth.
