![]() Exposure to the sun increases development of cancers of the lips. Who Is Most At Risk For Developing Oral Cancer?Ĭancer research has established multiple risk factors that can contribute to the development of cancers of the mouth and throat. For more information on the head and neck examination, please watch this video from the American Dental Association. A note will be placed in your chart so that the dentist is always sure to check back for further development or regression of the lesion. He or she may also make you aware of a semi-suspicious issue and then recommend monitoring it over time. If your dentist sees anything that he or she suspects could be dangerous, he or she will recommend that you visit a dermatologist or specialist to further examine this problem. He will be searching for suspicious white or red lesions and will feel around for a lump, which could indicate an infection or tumor. After this, your dentist will look and feel inside your mouth. He will be searching for swollen areas or lymph nodes in addition to moles or crusts in suspicious areas like the ears and lips. Your dentist will first examine the skin of your head and neck and feel around for any suspicious bumps or tender areas. This head and neck exam happens quickly and you may not even realize that it is taking place. Townsend perform extensive oral cancer screenings during their examinations. ![]() What Will Happen During My Oral Cancer Screening?ĭid you know that every dentist should perform an oral cancer screening during his or her examination? Dr. We are always accepting new patients from in an around the Ponte Vedra Beach community. Did you know that we write new blogs every few weeks about the topics that our patients are most eager to learn about? If you are suspicious about a bump that you have in or around your mouth, please feel free to contact us at any time electronically to make an appointment or call (904)285-7711. Here at Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry, we are dedicated to patient education and we wrote this blog so that you can learn about oral cancer. Oral cancer is relatively rare, but it still affects over 40,000 Americans each year. If you have any questions or concerns about a new lesion in or around your mouth, you should consult you dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist is an expert on the oral cavity. At the same time, we don’t want you to dismiss a bump as just an irritation if it is actually something more serious. We do not want you to think that something innocuous is actually cancer. We also want to teach you about some of the common lumps and bumps that can be found in the mouth that are harmless. We want to teach you about the steps that your dentist takes to evaluate your mouth for oral cancer at its earliest stages. According to the American College of Prosthodontists, early detection offers the greatest chance of survival of oral cancer, but only one-third of cases are found and treated during the early stages. For more information on coping post-treatment read, After Treatment Ends: Tools for the Adult Cancer Survivor.We are here this week, not to make you paranoid, but to inform you about a serious, although rare, disease of the oral cavity: oral cancer. This can delay the emotional impact of cancer and feelings may come up once treatment ends, as there is more time to think about what has happened. When a person is first diagnosed with cancer, he/she is often focused on learning about the diagnosis and getting through treatment. The end of treatment often can lead to many strong and conflicting feelings. Seeking couple’s counseling is also a good idea if you are having difficulties communicating with each other. ![]() If you haven’t done so already, letting your husband know how his feelings and behavior affect you is important. As your husband’s primary caregiver, those feelings may be directed towards you since you are the one he is closest to and trusts. Cancer can be overwhelming and bring up many feelings from anxiety to anger to sadness. The change in his personality may also be a sign that he is still struggling emotionally with his diagnosis and treatment. It is important that you and your husband inform his doctor of changes in his mood to rule out any medical causes. Chemotherapy can affect a person’s mood, as can other medications such as steroids. ![]()
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