For 12 years running, The Oral Cancer Foundation has held Oral Cancer Awareness in the United States during the month of April. 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, “the death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development.” The key is early detection. Routine dental check-ups can significantly affect these statistics.
Oral cancer is dangerous because it can grow without causing pain or symptoms, going unnoticed by the patient. It is often only discovered when the cancer has metastasized to another location, such as the lymph nodes. As with any cancer, the survival rates significantly increase if it is discovered in the early stages.
A knowledgeable public is the first line of defense against this silent killer and the main goal of Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Your routine check-up or a simple screening can detect tissue abnormalities. This is one of the reasons we highly recommend that you visit your dentist every six months. If you do not have a family dentist, please click here to schedule an appointment online.
For more information about oral cancer, such as risk factors, symptoms, treatment and more, click either of the red banners to visit the Oral Cancer Foundation website.