Oral cancer can be a dangerous disease if not found early. An oral cancer screening from Dr. Viet Tran and his team at Smiles of Memorial scan patients for oral cancer during their yearly dental exam. This is one reason why the oral health team encourages patients to complete bi-annual dental visits. Prevention is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of expensive, time consuming, and risky dental restorations in the future.
Who Can Get Oral Cancer?
Similar to most diseases, anyone can be susceptible to oral cancer; however, according to the American Cancer Society, the demographic that is most likely to develop oral cancer is men over 50 years old. Apart from this, risk factors that can increase anyones risk of developing oral cancer is smoke or smokeless tobacco, a history of cancer, excessive alcohol or sun exposure, or Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Reducing Your Risk For Oral Cancer
It is important that patients are aware of their risk factors and know that there are certain things they can do to prevent oral cancer. The first, of course, is an oral cancer screening with Dr. Viet Tran at Smiles of Memorial in Houston, Texas. During this screening, Dr. Viet Tran will consider your symptoms, if you have any, and feel for lumps and abnormalities around your neck and mouth. If he finds a concerning area, he will send part of it for a biopsy.
You can also prevent oral cancer by reducing the behavioral risk factors: alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and tobacco usage. There are a number of oral and overall health benefits to quitting smokeless and smoke tobacco, but one is its ability to increase your risk of developing oral cancer. Additionally, limit your sun exposure, and when you are in the sun, apply sunscreen on your face and lower lip. This will help reduce your risk of developing oral cancer.
Patients that discover their oral cancer early have a higher chance of recovering and riding themselves of the cancer. If you have not been to the dentist in a while or if you have any oral health concerns, call Smiles of Memorial of Houston – Viet Tran DMD, Texas to book an appointment, today!
