Oral Cancer Screening

An oral cancer screening is a visual and physical examination of the mouth, lips, tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, gums, throat, and surrounding tissues. During a routine dental exam, your dentist looks and feels for any unusual sores, lesions, lumps, or tissue changes that might warrant further investigation.

The examination takes only a few minutes and causes no discomfort. No special equipment or preparation is required, it is simply part of a thorough dental visit. You do not need to request it separately; it is incorporated into every comprehensive exam at Wildwood Dental Clinic.

Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and throat, can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. When detected at an early stage, the outcomes are considerably more favourable than when it is found after it has spread.

Many oral lesions or tissue changes are benign. However, because the mouth is not always easy to examine on your own, and because some changes are subtle in their early stages, a professional examination at each dental visit provides an important layer of monitoring.

While oral cancer can occur in anyone, certain factors are associated with higher risk. Being aware of these does not mean you will develop oral cancer, it simply means regular screening is an even more important part of your dental care.

• Tobacco use in any form, smoking, chewing tobacco, or other products
• Heavy alcohol consumption, particularly in combination with tobacco use
• Prolonged or unprotected sun exposure to the lips
• Certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV)
• A previous history of oral cancer
• Age, risk increases with age, though oral cancer can occur at any stage of life

If the dentist notices anything that looks unusual during the screening, they will discuss the finding with you clearly and calmly. Most findings are not cancerous, many are common, benign conditions such as canker sores or irritation from a denture.

Depending on what is observed, the dentist may recommend monitoring the area at a follow-up appointment, or they may refer you to an appropriate specialist for further assessment. The next steps will always be explained to you, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions before deciding on a course of action.