A screening for oral cancer is an examination by a dentist or medical practitioner to detect any abnormalities that might indicate the presence of cancer or precancerous diseases.

A santa maria oral cancer exam for mouth cancer is performed to detect the disease at an early, more treatable stage.

Most dentists will examine your mouth while you are there for other dental work to check for signs of oral cancer. Some dentists may recommend further testing to help pinpoint the exact location of the abnormal cells.

The Reasons Behind It

If oral cancer or precancerous lesions that could develop into cancer are found during a screening, they can be removed and treated more easily and effectively.

Incidences of oral cancer can be affected by the following factors:

• The use of any form of tobacco, whether it be manufactured cigarettes, hand-rolled cigars, carved pipes, snuff, or chewed tobacco
• Severe alcohol abuse
• Previously diagnosed with oral cancer
• Increased risk of lip cancer due to a history of extensive sun exposure

Risks

Oral exams as a screening tool for cancer have some drawbacks, including but not limited to:

1. A positive result from an oral cancer screening may prompt further examinations. While most cases of mouth sores are not malignant, many people suffer from them anyway. Looking at them in the mouth cannot tell which sores are malignant and which are not.
2. Your dentist may order more tests to establish the source of an uncommon sore. Performing a biopsy to remove abnormal cells and test them for malignancy is the only way to determine for sure if you have oral cancer.
3. All cases of oral cancer cannot be found with screening. A small cancer or precancerous lesion may go undiagnosed if it is located in a location of the mouth that is difficult to examine visually.
4. The lifesaving efficacy of oral cancer screening is unproven. Regular screenings for oral cancer have not been shown to reduce mortality rates from the disease. Screening, on the other hand, may help detect malignancies of the mouth at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Results

A dentist may suggest the following measures if they find precancerous or cancerous lesions in your mouth:

• The anomalous region will be reexamined in a few weeks to determine whether or not it has grown or changed.
• An operation in which a small sample of tissue is surgically removed for analysis in a lab to detect the presence of cancer cells. Your dentist or another medical professional with expertise in diagnosing and treating mouth cancer may perform the biopsy.