Check Your Mouth for Signs of Oral Cancer

You know your dentist looks for indicators of cavities and gum disease during your dental exams. But Dr. Jones also looks for signs of oral cancer. If he sees any, he may recommend you get a biopsy. As with many other kinds of cancer, early intervention makes a huge difference in the outcome!

In the past, many if not most instances of oral cancer were associated with smoking. But a growing number of cases are happening in young people who don’t smoke, due to the HPV virus. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, about 54,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with it this year.

It’s a good idea to supplement the exams you get in our Petaluma, CA office with your own exams at home. Fortunately, performing self-exams is easy, as you’ll see in this video.

If you have any questions about oral cancer or any other aspect of your oral health, don’t hesitate to ask. Call Park Place Dental at 707-210-0304 with questions or to schedule your next exam. We recommend you visit us every six months for exams so we can find signs of problems in their earliest stages.

Learn to perform an oral cancer self-exam. from MyOMS.org on Vimeo.