3 Good Reasons To See A Dentist Before Cancer Treatment

1.  You can take steps to prevent Oral Cancer by seeing a dentist frequently. The dentist will look for oral cancer by checking your lips,cheeks, tongue,gums and the floor and roof of your mouth. We also check the face and neck.  I had a patient that we found his lymph nodes were enlarged and the MD  when he saw him at our request found melanoma, we also found a malignant thyroid from enlarged lymph glands.  2. What are we looking for-a red or white patch- a sore that bleeds easily or does not heal -a thick or hard spot or a lump - a roughened or crusted area- other signs of cancer include numbness, or a change when your teeth bite together, pain or no pain, problems with chewing swallowing speaking or moving your tongue and jaw.  If you have had oral cancer you maybe more likely toget it again. 3.A dentist cannot diagnose cancer during an examination.  Oral Cancer can only be diagnosed with a biopsy and then it is examined under a microscope - but we can identify suspicious looking areas or growths that need further evaluation.  When I first started in practice I found a suspicious lesion on a patient that chewed tobacco - I referred him immediately to an Oral Surgeon for evaluation and a biopsy- I referred him at least 6 times -he would not go - he was afraid that they would find something-He left the practice for a few years and when I saw him next he came to have his teeth cleaned prior to having the cancer removed.  He Died soon after that and I wish to this day I could have found the right words to have him go in sooner - he might have lived--Don't Wait If Something Doesn't Feel Right In Your Mouth- See A Dentist