Oral Cancer Screenings in Chelmsford, MA
At Smiles By Stylos, we recommend oral cancer screenings near you. Visiting a dentist in Chelmsford, MA, for oral cancer screenings might not sound appealing. We know that you’d rather avoid seeing the dentist unless it’s necessary.
Seeing a dentist near you for oral cancer screenings in Chelmsford, MA, however, is for your good. These screenings have helped us diagnose and treat cancer in many patients who didn’t know there was anything wrong. Cancer is a condition that should always be treated as soon as possible. Without treatment, it will grow and spread. Cancer becomes very difficult to treat in its late stages.
Importance of Prevention
At our Chelmsford dental office, we like to explain to our patients that there are different types of prevention. There’s primary prevention where we try to stop the disease from happening. Regular dental cleanings to take out plaque and tartar, for example, help prevent infections. There are other types of prevention where the disease already occurred, but we’re trying to prevent its complications and morbidities.
Oral cancer screenings are done for patients who feel perfectly fine. Mouth cancer remains silent until it becomes large enough to produce symptoms. A small mass or ulcer can grow silently in a hidden area of the oral cavity for months. By performing oral cancer screenings, we can detect these small tumors so we can treat them and prevent their complications.
How Is Screening Done?
Oral cancer tests are simple and short. You won’t have to go through anything painful. Our Chelmsford emergency dentist will begin by asking you about possible risk factors and other medical conditions. Next, we’ll use our tools to inspect your entire oral cavity. After we’re done inspecting, we’ll start to palpate different parts of the mouth, jaw, and neck using our fingers.
Palpation is done gently and only takes a few minutes. We’ll explain what we’re about to do before doing it. If no abnormalities are found, the screening will be over before you know it, and you can go home. A biopsy will be needed if any suspicious lesions are found.
