Oral cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lips, oral cavity, or oropharynx. Most oral cancers occur in people older than 45 years, and more often in blacks than in whites. Even though the total number of new cases and deaths from oral cancer has decreased slowly over the past 20 years, the number of new cases of oral cancer (especially of the tongue) has been increasing in adults younger than 40 years.

Anything that increases the chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Risk factors for oral cancer include the following:

• Using tobacco products (includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless and chewing tobacco).
• Heavy alcohol use.
• Chewing betel nuts.
• Being infected with a certain type of human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Being exposed to sunlight (lip cancer only).
• Being male.

What is screening?

Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early and it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread.

It is important to remember that we do not necessarily think you have cancer if you suggests a screening test. If a screening test result is abnormal, you may need to have more tests done and visit your Family Physician or specialist to find out if you have cancer. 

At our clinic we advise to every new patient as well as recalled patients with  risk factors to has the screening test. For this purpose, in addition to intraoral visual exam, we use special cancer detection tools - Sapphire Plus LD light, from Den-Mat Holdings, LLC. and it became a routine part of the complete visual and dental exams we perform at our clinic.

Please review important information about oral cancer: