April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, which raises awareness of the importance of oral health. According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, approximately 53,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer during the year 2019. This includes cancers of the mouth, throat, tonsils, lip, and tongue. The diagnosis of these types of cancers has been increasing over the years and due to this rise, we want to educate our patients on the importance of getting your oral cancer screening.
According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, there can be an 80 to 90% survival rate when oral cancer is detected early. Dr. Frankel has built oral cancer screenings into your routine visits, keeping you healthy! During your visit, Dr. Frankel and his team will conduct a visual exam to look for the following signifiers:
The Frankel team will look for any of these signs on your face, neck, throat, tongue, cheeks, and lips. These exams are totally painless and important. Regular visits with oral cancer screenings can lower the diagnosis rate. We suggest getting checked once every six months.
Your dentist is the first step in detecting this disease. Here are some other things you can do to help lower your chances of developing oral cancer:
The key to treat Oral Cancer is early detection, leading to successful treatment. We encourage you to visit our office for your FREE oral cancer screening. Frankel Dentistry is here to keep you happy and healthy. Make sure you are continuing to educate yourself on oral cancer and help bring awareness to this disease. To learn more or to donate go check out The Oral Cancer Foundation website.