Oral cancer screening is the key.
Early detection is essential.
Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when caught early.
That's why we recommend an annual exam to identify precancerous and cancerous abnormalities. When a premalignant lesion or early stage oral cancer is found, treatment is simpler, less invasive and more than 90% successful.
Are you at risk for oral cancer? Virtually everyone is.
INCREASED RISK
- Age 18-39 without lifestyle risk factors
- Sexually active (HPV 16/18)
HIGHER RISK
- Age 40 and older without lifestyle risk factors
- Tobacco users (any age, any type)
HIGHEST RISK
One American dies every hour of oral cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates a 5.5% increase in new cases of oral cancer and a 1.5% increase in deaths associated with oral cancer. Twenty-five percent of oral cancers occur in people who don't smoke and have no other lifestyle risk factors.
The human papilloma virus (HPV) is an extremely common sexually transmitted infection and especially prevalent in young adults. Few people even know they have it. HPV has long been known to cause cervical cancer and now studies suggest it also plays a role in more than 20% of oral cancer cases.
