At Aspen Ridge Dental in Casper WY, we urge our patients to come in twice a year for a dental exam and cleaning. If you skip those checkups because you don’t think you have any cavities, perhaps getting an oral cancer screening is enough to get you here.
In the last few decades, lung and breast cancer have attracted a lot of public attention. There is less awareness of oral cancer, even though it claims almost 10,000 lives every year in the United States. If you smoke or have acquired HPV, your risk is even higher.
At Aspen Ridge Dental, we work to raise awareness of oral cancer and the significance of early diagnosis. Here are five things you should know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.
- About 80% of men and women with oral cancer use some kind of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
- 40% of men and women who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer die within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
- In many cases, it is extremely challenging for the individual to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers because they can produce unobtrusive symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be evaluated by a dentist or doctor.
- HPV (the most common sexually transmitted disease in the US) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the various strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most regularly linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
- Black males have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than whites.
At Aspen Ridge Dental in Casper WY, each checkup includes an oral cancer screening. We offer a full range of family dentistry procedures, as well as cosmetic dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today.
Contact Aspen Ridge Dental:
307-234-6054
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1122 S Conwell St
Casper, Wyoming
82601
