Oral Cancer Screenings - Massapequa Park, NY • Long Island

What You Should Know About Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is any cancer that affects the mouth, neck, and head (excluding the brain). It can develop for numerous reasons, but the most common tend to be:

• Tobacco use (both smoking & smokeless)
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Poor oral hygiene
• Ill-fitting dentures (which can lead to inflammation that turns into cancer)
• An infection caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses
• HPV (Human papillomavirus)
• A genetic predisposition for oral cancer

Most of the causes listed above involve behaviors that can be modified (such as tobacco use), but more and more young, healthy people are developing oral cancer due to the rising rate of HPV. In fact, nearly 25% of all new oral cancer diagnoses are NOT tied to tobacco or excessive alcohol consumption.

The Symptoms of Oral Cancer

• A sore in the mouth that bleeds often and takes a long time to heal
• A swelling or thickening of oral tissue
• Rough or scaly patches of oral tissue
• Discolored areas of tissue that can be red or white
• A growth or lump on the neck
• Pain or numbness in or around the face
• Persistent hoarseness and/or sore throats
• Problems speaking or eating normally
• A change in the way the teeth fit together
• Sudden and dramatic weight loss
• Constantly feeling like something is caught in the throat

How an Oral Cancer Screening Works

While the symptoms above might seem like they would be extremely hard to miss, the early signs of oral cancer can actually be very subtle, not becoming obvious until the disease is quite advanced. Dr. Mohr has the training and technology to spot these early signs so a patient can get the treatment they need right away.

For an oral cancer screening, he’ll first examine your teeth, gums, lips, cheeks, tongue, throat, and neck visually and tactilely before using something called a DOE SE kit. It includes a specially-designed fluorescent light and glasses that make cancerous and precancerous tissues that would normally be invisible to the naked eye stand out.

If Dr. Mohr spots anything that causes concern, he can arrange for a patient to have a biopsy performed to see if they actually have cancer. From there, he can ensure that they get the care they need.

When caught early, oral cancer has a survival rate of around 85%, but that number drops to about 20% in the later stages of the disease. This is why Dr. Mohr recommends that every adult should have at least one oral cancer screening per year.

Come See the Best Dentist on Long Island

Dr. Mohr has helped countless people avoid disaster by catching oral cancer early, and the screening will only take a few minutes during your routine checkup and cleaning. To learn more about how you can lower your risk for oral cancer, or to schedule your next screening, contact us today.