Oral Health Exam

An oral health exam should be conducted on a routine basis in order to make sure there are no abnormal growths in the mouth, neck, or jaw.  The exam should be completed every year.  This procedure is painless and does not take long, however this simple procedure could save your life.

Oral cancer is best treated when caught in the early stages. Your dentist may use a laser light, which allows them to see any changes in the mouth, throat or tongue that they are unable to see with the naked eye.  They will also check the inside of your lips, cheeks and tongue.

Your dentist will generally run their hands down your neck and the jaw, feeling the nodes for any changes.  Next, they will have you move your tongue from side to side and lift it up to determine if there is any discoloration or swelling.

During the exam the dentist is looking to see if there are any white lesions on the soft pink part in your mouth or any abnormal growths, such as cysts. While you may think that you would see these warning signs, you may not.

This exam can be completed at your yearly dental check-up. If anything is suspicious, treatment options will be further discussed with your provider based on the type and size of the abnormality and if appropriate, the stage. Eighty percent of individuals that have been diagnosed early with oral cancer have successful results. Don’t wait, if you haven’t seen your dentist in the last year, call Dr. Rice today.