Oral Cancer Screenings in Tampa, FL
Our commitment to every patient of New Tampa Smiles is to preserve the health, beauty, and functionality of their smiles for a lifetime. That commitment includes providing visual oral cancer screenings as a part of every comprehensive dental exam. Why is this screening so important? Because even though the exact cause of this type of cancer remains unknown, early detection is key since 25 percent of all cases can be fatal or result in facial disfigurement. Our dentist near you is trained to detect signs of oral cancer that you may not notice at home, so if it’s been more than six months since your last preventive dental exam, we encourage you to book an appointment with our dentist today.
Symptoms of Oral Cancer
As mentioned, patients may not notice any signs of oral cancer themselves, but some of the more common symptoms include lumps or bumps in the mouth, jaw, or neck area, swelling or thickening around the lips and gums, ear pain, sore throat or chronic hoarseness of voice, rough spots in the mouth (including the tongue and gums), sores in the oral cavity that do not heal within two weeks, roughness on the gum tissue, and more!
Because some of the mentioned symptoms can mimic other oral conditions such as gum disease, it’s important to not dismiss any of them as unimportant. Instead, schedule an appointment with our multi-specialty dentist in Tampa, FL for oral cancer screening near you so you can receive timely treatment to prevent the condition from worsening or requiring invasive procedures such as surgery to remove large tumors.
Also, it’s important to point out that oral cancer – sometimes referred to as mouth cancer – can present in all areas of the oral cavity such as your lips, gums, on and under your tongue, on your inner cheeks, on the roof of your mouth, and the floor of your mouth.
Prevention is Key to Optimum Health
Just as you schedule regular preventive health appointments for your whole-body care, scheduling regular exams for your oral health care can help you enjoy peace of mind, especially when preventive care includes oral cancer screenings. Make an appointment now to receive your visual oral cancer screening from New Tampa Smiles so you’ll have one less thing to worry about concerning your general health.