Oral Cancer Screenings in Tucson, AZ

According to the American Dental Association, 41,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral and throat cancers this year. With 60% of the U.S. population visiting the dentist each year, your Tucson, AZ, dental office is the first line of defense for early detection.

Oral or mouth cancer reveals itself as a growth or sore in the mouth or throat that doesn’t go away with time. Oral cancer symptoms include:

• Red or white patches on the lining of the mouth or tongue
• Swelling or thickening of areas inside the mouth
• Unexplained bleeding
• Sores on the face, neck, or mouth that do not heal
• Chronic sore throat
• Hoarseness
• A change in the way your dentures fit

Our oral cancer screenings consist of a verbal, visual, and physical examination, and they include the following:

• A thorough review of your oral health history, as well as your overall health history, which includes questions that help assess your level of risk for mouth cancer
• A visual inspection of all the areas of your mouth and throat in an effort to locate any abnormalities, such as sores and red or white patches; this inspection includes the lips, cheeks, gums, tongue, floor of the mouth, roof of the mouth, and far-back section of your tongue
• A check for suspicious lumps by palpating your mouth, jaw, and neck

Though most sores (one of the primary signs of oral cancer) are noncancerous, the screening alone can’t determine this. If an abnormality is found, Sharad Pandhi, D.D.S. may perform a biopsy (remove some cells for testing) or refer you to a mouth cancer specialist.