50+ Lifestyles

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month

By DaNae Krutzfeldt, DDS
I-Smile Silver Community Partner

Your dentist is screening for anything out of the  ordinary…evaluation of unusual findings is  important because early detection helps increase the chances of a good outcome.

Everyone knows that seeing your dentist regularly is key to maintaining good oral health. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that part of the dental exam includes an oral cancer screening. Your dentist is screening for anything out of the ordinary (lumps, bumps, sore, etc). If your dentist does see something suspicious, they may suggest a biopsy to get a more detailed look at the tissue. A biopsy may sound scary but evaluation of unusual findings is important because early detection helps increase the chances of a good outcome.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the most common malignancy in the mouth. It accounts for 90 percent of all head and neck cancers. While that sounds bad, if detected early, the 5 year survival rate is 83 percent So again, early detection is very important.

The most common signs of oral cancer are white and/or red patches that appear in the mouth. They may show up as an unusual lump, a spot on your lip, roof of your mouth, the sides of your tongue, the floor of your mouth or the linings of your cheeks.

The most common complaints or symptoms include:

• presence of a lump in the neck
• sore throat
• difficulty swallowing.

  If any of these symptoms last more than 2 weeks you should make an appointment to see your dentist.

DaNae Krutzfeldt, DDS is a practicing dentist at QC Dentistry, 3475 Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport, Iowa. (563) 359-5510