While not all medical and dental professionals agree that oral cancer screenings are necessary for every patient, we are still proud to offer reliable oral cancer screenings at Kensington Dental Clinic for our Edmonton, Alberta area patients.

Generally speaking, your overall oral health relies in part on your frequent, regular visits to our office for checkups and cleanings, tending to any procedures and treatments necessary for optimal oral health, and taking good care of your teeth at home by maintaining a high standard of oral hygiene.

About Oral Cancer

While routine exams and cleanings are recommended every six months, the jury is still out on how often oral cancer screenings should be performed. However, we certainly recommend that our patients who are at a higher risk for developing oral cancer get checked regularly.

Oral cancer presents as sores and lesions in the mouth that are red and/or white in color. These lesions do not go away on their own, and they can spread. It bears unpleasant symptoms and can make the patient fall very ill.

Risks Factors for Oral Cancer

Some people are more prone to developing oral cancer because of certain lifestyle habits, as well as medical histories. These include the following:

• Using tobacco in any capacity—smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, and other varieties of tobacco consumption such as snuff and chewing tobacco
• Alcohol use—drinking heavily and/or alcohol abuse
• High levels of extended sun exposure
• A family history of cancer and/or oral cancer
• A personal diagnosis of cancer and/or oral cancer
• Having certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV)

The Oral Cancer Screening at Kensington Dental Clinic

A standard oral cancer screening at Kensington Dental Clinic can be performed during your routine examination. Your dentist will check inside your mouth for any signs of sores, lesions, bumps, and any other abnormalities—this includes your hard and soft palette, your gums, your cheeks, your tongue, and your lips.

Should any signs of cancer be found, your dentist will likely take a biopsy to test the cells for a confirmed diagnosis, and a treatment plan will be discussed.