Oral Cancer Screening
We often categorize oral cancer as a silent killer. Many people don’t realize they have mouth cancer until the later stages when it’s often too difficult to treat. Over 50,00 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer, and almost 10,000 people die yearly. Just like any other cancer, it is important to be able to detect it early on. Dr. Justin Crocker and his oral team are committed to protecting our patients’ health. Here at Lytle Family Dentistry, along with our other general dentistry services, we provide oral cancer screening at our dental office.
We are passionate about giving the best dental service in the Lytle, TX area. Our experienced dental team is dedicated to doing everything possible to help you maintain your beautiful smile. Oral cancer, sometimes called gum cancer, has minimal noticeable symptoms, making it hard to detect without an oral cancer screening. Gum cancer is not to be confused with gum disease which we can easily treat once detected. Getting an oral cancer screening at your biannual routine dental appointments is vital if you are at risk of cancer due to family history or other factors.
Identify Mouth Cancer Early
An oral cancer screening is painless and non-invasive and takes only a few moments during your regular cleaning appointment. Dr. Justin Crocker will look at your mouth for signs of oral cancer. If Dr. Justin Crocker spots any signs, he will direct you to an oncologist for further advanced testing. Out Lytle, TX, dental office has the most state-of-the-art technology to detect any oral health issues you may have.
If you want to determine if you may have oral cancer at home, there are a few symptoms we recommend looking out for. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please schedule an appointment with us immediately so we can take a look and help you determine if you have oral cancer. Here are a few oral cancer symptoms to keep in mind:
- Red or white bumps inside the mouth
- Pain or difficulty swallowing
- Lumps or bumps that do not go away
- Sores that do not heal inside the mouth within two weeks
- Thickening or swelling lips, gums or other oral tissues
- Rough spots inside the mouth
While these symptoms can be related to other oral health issues we still recommend getting an oral cancer screening to ensure the issue is not cancer-related.
Your oral health is tremendously important to us here at Lytle Family Dentistry. Here we strive to ensure you have the best oral health. Contact our office in Lytle if you or a family member have not scheduled their biannual dental checkup and oral screening.
