Taking care of your oral health is about more than cavities and gingivitis. At every dental checkup with our Reno dentists, you can expect that we take preventive dentistry seriously. Not only will our dentists, Dr. Wager and Dr. Evans scour your mouth for signs of tooth decay and gum disease, but also symptoms of a much deadlier oral health condition, oral cancer.

Checking for Signs of Oral Cancer

During your oral cancer screening, our Reno dentist will be looking for signs like lumps in your throat, unusual lesions that appear white or splotchy, persistent ulcers, and other suspicious symptoms. Since oral cancer affects your appetite, tell Dr. Wager or Dr. Evans if you have experienced unexplained dramatic weight loss. You should also mention any changes in the way your teeth fit together, or changes in your voice.

Risk Factors of Mouth Cancer

With these risk factors for oral cancer, tell our Reno dentist if you smoke, use smokeless tobacco, drink large quantities of alcohol, use tanning beds, or have excessive sun exposure. Other risk factors include your age—patients over 40 are more likely to have mouth cancer—and if you have a family history of oral cancer.

Oral Cancer Screenings Save Lives

The best step you can take for your oral health and your total wellbeing is to schedule regular dental checkups for oral cancer screenings. With about 8,000 mouth cancer fatalities predicted by the Oral Cancer Foundation for this year alone, it is not worth the risk. With early detection and treatment of oral cancer, patients have an increased chance at a good prognosis. Continue reading “Oral Cancer Screening in Reno” →