Dental checkups are not just about finding cavities. At Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we urge patients to come in twice a year for a dental examination and cleaning. If you skip semiannual dental checkups because you don’t believe you have any tooth decay, perhaps getting an oral cancer screening in Arlington is a more convincing reason to see your dentist regularly. While your dentist is checking for oral cancer, we encourage you to have a thorough dental examination as well!
In the last few decades, lung and breast cancer have drawn a lot of public attention. There is relatively less awareness of oral cancer even though it claims almost 10,000 lives every year in the United States. If you smoke or have acquired HPV, you have an increased risk of developing oral cancer.
At Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we work to increase awareness of oral cancer and the significance of early diagnosis. We also offer our patients an oral cancer screening in Arlington if they suspect that they might have cancer. Courtesy of the CDC, Oral Cancer Foundation, and Johns Hopkins Medicine, here are 5 critical things to know about oral and throat cancer.
1. About 80% of men and women with oral cancer use some variety of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
2. 40% of men and women who receive a late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer die within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
3. In many cases, it is extremely challenging for the individual to detect oral and throat cancer because they can produce unobtrusive symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be examined by a dentist or doctor.
4. HPV, the most frequent sexually transmitted disease in the US, is the most common cause of throat cancer. Of the copious strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most frequently linked to throat cancer.
5. Statistically, African-American males have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer.
If you’re worried about developing oral cancer, then ask your doctor about an oral cancer screening in Arlington. Furthermore, if you’re interested in emergency dental care, family dentistry, or dental implants, then come in for a consultation. Our dental team looks forward to meeting you.
Contact Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry:
817-274-7875
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
909 W Mitchell St
Arlington, Texas
76013
