Oral Cancer Screening
in Clearwater, FL

There is little to no discomfort involved with oral cancer screenings. However, this may not be the case in treating advanced oral cancer.

Any part of the mouth can be affected by oral cancer. There are two categories of oral cancer: those that affect the oral cavity (lips, teeth, gums, front two-thirds of the tongue, floor and roof of the mouth, and inside of the lips and cheeks) and those that affect the oropharynx (middle region of the throat, including tonsils and the base of the tongue).

As of yet, there are no proven ways of completely preventing oral cancer. However, a general healthful lifestyle may help minimize your chances. Reducing your alcohol consumption, along with stopping or avoiding any tobacco use, may prevent exposing the cells in the mouth to any dangerous chemicals. Keeping an everyday sun protection regimen that involves putting sunscreen on your lips can also help, as can regular dental checkups.

There are four stages of oral cancer. In stage 1 oral cancer, the tumor is at or under 2 centimeters in size, and the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. In stage 2 oral cancer, the tumor is at or under 4 centimeters in size, and the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. In stage 3 oral cancer, the tumor could be larger than 4 centimeters but not spread to the lymph nodes. Alternatively, the tumor has spread to one lymph node but not any other parts of the body. In stage 4 oral cancer, the tumor can be any size, and the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Oral cancer screenings can catch "stage 0" cancer when cells have yet to become cancerous. Cancers caught in the earliest stages have the highest five-year survival rates.