Oral and pharyngeal cancer (cancer of the mouth and upper throat) collectively kills nearly one person every hour of every day of the year. Of the people newly diagnosed with these cancers, only about 60% will live longer than 5 years. Moreover, many who do survive suffer long-term problems such as severe facial disfigurement or difficulties eating and speaking. The death rate associated with oral and pharyngeal cancers remains particularly high due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development.
Protect yourself by getting checked for the disease today. Here are the top four reasons you should add “oral cancer screening” to your wellness to-do list.
It’s easy.
Just ask your dentist to check for signs of oral cancer during your regular dental exam.
It can save your life.
Oral cancer is a devastating disease — but you can boost your chances of survival by at least 20 percentage points when the disease is caught early.
It’s inexpensive.
When an oral cancer exam is incorporated into your regular exam, there’s no extra expense unless follow-up procedures are needed.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Even if you don’t have oral cancer, isn’t it better to be sure?
Regular oral cancer examinations by your oral health professional remain the best method to detect oral cancer in its early stages.
Here at 4Excellence In Dentistry, we offer the latest technology to detect oral cancer, pre-cancer and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage.
VELscope uses a blue light that allows Drs. Ricciuti. Albanese and Moore to identify oral cancer, pre-cancer and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage. The simple screening is a simple pains procedure that utilizes fluorescence (light) technology to distinguish between healthy oral cells and abnormal or cancerous cells early before the tumor is visible to the naked eye.
Schedule your appointment today with one of our amazing Drs.
