The benefits of routine dental care go beyond regularly cleaning your teeth! When you attend one of your biannual checkups, we also perform an inspection of your entire oral cavity. By observing any sudden changes in the appearance of your lips, gums, tongue, and cheeks, we can determine if any new conditions have appeared. If we notice one of the symptoms of oral cancer, early detection provides a higher degree of success during your treatment. While some symptoms may appear to you when brushing your teeth, a professional cancer screening can help detect signs that you would not notice on your own at home. By staying on top of your oral hygiene and recording any changes in your appearance, you can discuss these signs with us when you attend your checkup.
At your Prairie Village, KS dental practice, we stress the importance of regular examinations to help treat oral cancer when it presents itself. By practicing a semiannual visitation schedule, your dentist can help treat any number of oral threats. Going further, by learning the signs on your own, you can detect changes in your oral tissues when you are brushing your teeth at home.
Healthy Habits To Help Fight Oral Cancer
Attending your routine exams helps you detect this problem when it occurs, but what can you do to reduce your odds of a case in the first place? While certain contributing factors are out of your control, such as age and family history, taking advantage of modifying contributing behaviors can decrease your risk. If you currently use tobacco in any of its forms, stopping can lower this contributor. Similarly, heavy alcohol use can increase your odds, so by stopping or limiting your intake, you may see real benefits! In a positive light, practicing a healthy diet that includes legumes, fruits, and vegetables can make your oral tissues more resistant to this threat. Studies show that physical exercise can help you prevent this disease when performed regularly.
Inspecting Your Mouth For Signs At Home
To increase your odds of detecting this disease, learn common signs that present themselves in your oral tissue. Any sudden changes in color, lumps, or sores should be reported to your dentist. They can appear in your throat, on your tongue, cheeks, gums, or lips. You may feel sudden pains or see unexplainable weight loss as well. You can not be too careful, so please report any of these signs to us right away!
Speak With Your Prairie Village, KS Dentist About Receiving A Screening For Oral Cancer
By receiving regular oral cancer screenings, you can increase your odds of successfully treating this disease. For more information and to schedule a screening, please contact your Prairie Village, KS dental practice today at (913)901-8585.
