5 Critical Oral Cancer Facts

At Summer Dental in Las Vegas, we encourage all of our patients to come in twice a year for a dental checkup. If you’re tempted to skip one because you don’t think you have any cavities, maybe getting an oral cancer screening is a more persuasive reason.

Oral cancer is something we take very seriously, and you should too. It claims almost 10,000 lives every year in the United States. If you smoke or have acquired HPV, you have a higher-than-average risk for developing oral cancer.

We work to increase awareness of oral cancer and the significance of early diagnosis. Here are five important things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.

1. About 80% of those with oral cancer use tobacco of some kind (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
2. 40% of individuals who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer die within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
3. In many cases, it is hardly possible for the individual to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers because they can produce unobtrusive symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be checked by a dentist or doctor.
4. HPV (the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the US) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the numerous strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most repeatedly linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
5. Black males have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than whites.

At Summer Dental in Las Vegas, we want the best possible general and dental health for all of our patients. We offer general and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule your next cleaning and checkup with us today!

Contact Summer Dental – Kids|Adults|Braces:

702-852-2829

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

10965 Lavender Hill Dr., #120
Las Vegas, Nevada
89135