Oral Cancer Screening and Everything you need to know about it

What to Expect and how to Prepare

Oral cancer is one of the worst disasters that can happen to your mouth, no one wants that! Early detection can help your dental specialist eliminate cancer-causing agents hiding in your mouth and restore your oral health. The process of Oral cancer screening is fairly simple, quick and painless! Here’s what you need to know and what to expect.

Oral Cancer Screening

The process usually includes an extensive dental examination done by your experienced dentist. Your Dr will take a thorough look for visible signs of cancerous lesions in your mouth, and then will us an intraoral camera to have a closer look and show you the areas you might want to take note of or consider.

The purpose of the screening is to identify the signs that may lead to oral cancer. Most dentists usually perform oral examination as a part of regular routine dental examination done every 6 months. Therefore, you don’t necessarily have to book a separate visit in order to get your oral cancer screening done; your dentist in Dubai will keep an eye on the signs and symptoms that may indicate cancer.

Why it’s performed

The goal of the screening process is to detect precancerous lesions that might turn into cancer in the long run. In other words, the purpose is to find the lesions and remove them when they are still benign or at an early stage. People who are at a higher risk of developing oral cancer need this screening more than those who do not face any potential risk. Now, the question arises: how do you know you are not at risk?

Certain compounds (both artificial and natural) can increase the risk of oral cancer. Alcohol, tobacco, significant exposure to the sun in the past and cigarettes are some of the things that can cause mouth cancer. Talk to your dental specialist and get examined for possible signs that may indicate the risks of oral cancer.

Limitations for Oral Screening

There are certain limitations in the screening process that include:

• Additional oral tests may be required by your dental specialist after identifying oral sores that don’t heal with medication. Mouth sores are usually noncancerous, but your dentist will recommend tests to rule out certain possibilities.
• The screening process may not detect all types of mouth cancers.
• There is no medical evidence that screening can detect and eliminate the risks of oral cancer.

How to Prepare

The screening process does not require any preparation. As mentioned above, it happens during your regular dental checkup so there is no need to worry about preparation.

What to Expect

The examination is no different from your regular dental checkup where your dental specialist examines your gums and teeth for possible infections and tooth decay. If you wear any dental appliance, your dentist may require you to remove it before the screening.

Your dentist will guide you through the process of the screening and will help you understand the results found along the way.

Just like many other forms of cancer, oral cancer can be treated if it is detected at an early stage. Regular dental visits are the only sure-fire way to identify oral cancer. Therefore, make sure that you don’t miss a dental visit. Remember that it is recommended that you get your oral health examined at least twice a year, every 6 months.

Questions? Give us a call: 04 226 9474