When you routinely visit your dentist, you support your oral health in multiple ways besides maintaining a shiny grin! While cleaning your teeth allows us to fight tooth decay and prevent the threat of gum disease, performing an examination every six months provides the opportunity to detect abrupt changes within your mouth as well. By inspecting your tongue, cheeks, and lips in addition to your teeth, we can detect if you exhibit any common signs of oral cancer. By discussing this examination process with your dentist, you can also learn what to look for in between your visits when taking care of your oral health at home. Each morning when you brush your teeth provides a chance to detect any lumps, growths, or abnormal sores that cause alarm. By catching these symptoms before they become worse, you can notify your dentist and obtain a professional diagnosis of your condition.
Because early detection of oral cancer can increase your odds of a successful treatment, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist will inspect your oral cavity at every visit. This means that sticking to your semiannual visitation schedule is of utmost importance in maintaining your oral health. From treating a cavity to fighting cancer, your dentist is your best friend when it comes to healthy mouths!
Lifestyle Habits To Help You Prevent Cancer
While you cannot control many factors that influence your cancer risk such as your age or family history of disease, learning habits that reduce your risk can help you prevent developing a case. First and foremost, avoiding tobacco use in any form, including cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco, can significantly lower your risk for oral cancer. Consider limiting your alcohol use and pursue a diet rich in healthy fruits and vegetables. Their fiber, vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content all combine to help keep cancer at bay! Attending your routine dental checkups provides the opportunity to detect oral cancer each time you visit, so do not neglect any of your appointments!
Monitoring Your Oral Health At Home
In between visits to our office, you can also check for symptoms on your own. Common signs of cancer include mouth sores, difficulty swallowing, changes in your speech, and unexplained weight loss. If you experience any changes in the color or texture of your mouth, such as white or red patches, notify your dentist. Examine your lips and gums as well as your tongue and cheeks. Because not all symptoms of oral cancer are visible, pay attention to any persistent pain in your mouth. Do not wait until your next appointment to report your issues as we can perform a special screening at once!
Talk To Your Prairie Village, KS Dentist About Scheduling An Oral Cancer Screening
Regular screening for oral cancer can improve your odds of successful treatment by detecting illness in its early stages. For more information and to schedule a screening, please contact your Prairie Village, KS dental practice today at 913-901-8585.
