As part of our holistic practice at Evans Dental Care in Williamsburg, we want our patients to know how to protect themselves from oral cancer. Each April is designated by a number of dental and cancer groups as Oral Cancer Awareness Month, so this seemed like a good time to talk about this disease’s causes and how to detect it.
About 60% of people diagnosed with oral cancer survive for more than five years, but this low number is partly due to cancer often not being detected until it has reached an advanced stage. Cancer in the oral cavity is usually caused by smoking, tobacco use, or heavy use of alcohol. Further back in the mouth, in a region called the oropharynx, it can be caused by a strain of HPV. Some of the warning signs patients should be on the look-out for are red or white discoloration, persistent pain, irritation, numbness, and difficulty swallowing.
Scans of the oral cavity are done with a special light which can detect suspicious growths beneath the tissue surface. If something suspicious is found, a sample of tissue, called a biopsy, will be sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Dr. Peter Evans operates Evans Dental Care at 103 Bulifants Blvd., Suite B, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23188. To schedule an appointment, visit Evans Dental Care or call 757-349-8877.
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