{"id":28,"date":"2019-04-08T00:39:38","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T00:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/?p=28"},"modified":"2019-05-08T01:31:56","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T01:31:56","slug":"fight-oral-cancer-visit-your-dentist-for-preventive-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/2019\/04\/08\/fight-oral-cancer-visit-your-dentist-for-preventive-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Fight Oral Cancer \u2013 Visit Your Dentist for Preventive Care!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/AdobeStock_67766775__1518822778_54848.jpg\" alt=\"woman dental chair undergoing oral examination\" class=\"wp-image-30\" width=\"296\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/AdobeStock_67766775__1518822778_54848.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/AdobeStock_67766775__1518822778_54848-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/AdobeStock_67766775__1518822778_54848-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it really that important to visit your dentist for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/preventive-dentistry.html\">preventive care<\/a>?\nAfter all, you feel okay. Unfortunately, danger could still be lurking, an\nexample of which is the development of oral cancer. Because this is a growing\nproblem in America, April has been designated as National Oral Cancer Awareness\nMonth. It\u2019s a time where dentists around the country are encouraging people to\nreceive preventive care and to undergo oral cancer screenings. Read on to find\nout why this is so important and how it could save your life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oral Cancer on the Rise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This year, it is projected that over 50,000 people will be\ndiagnosed with oral cancer, and close to 11,000 of the cases are forecasted to\nend fatally. Far from being just morbid statistics, these numbers should be\nused as motivation to improve oral health and further enhance one\u2019s total wellness.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral cancer typically begins in the flat cells of the mouth,\nand it can be found in the following areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Gums<\/li><li>Throat<\/li><li>Cheeks<\/li><li>Tongue<\/li><li>Sinuses<\/li><li>Floor of the mouth<\/li><li>Soft and hard palate<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Importance of an Oral Cancer Screening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the disease can be life-threatening, with early\ndetection and treatment, there is a 75% chance of reaching the five-year-survival\nbenchmark. However, if the initial symptoms are ignored and the disease is\nallowed to fester, the survival rate can fall by as much as 55%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Your Dentist Can Help Out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you visit your dentist for preventive care, a portion\nof the time is dedicated to the professional performing an oral cancer\nscreening. The procedure is usually divided into two segments to ensure a\ntediously-conducted examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visual Assessment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re reclined in your dentist\u2019s chair, the\nprofessional has a bird\u2019s-eye-view of your head, neck and mouth. He or she will\nvisually inspect those areas to look for bumps, abnormal growths, red or white\nspots or ulcerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hands-on Examination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, using his or her hands, the dentist will probe the\nsame areas in search of anything that is uncommon. If there are any oddities discovered,\nfurther tests can be conducted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By identifying oral cancer early, less aggressive measures\ncan be taken to treat the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Now is the Time to Act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Studies have found a connection between untreated bacteria\ngrowth and the development of oral cancer. Therefore, now is the perfect time\nto commit to visiting your dentist for preventive care semi-annually. In addition\nto undergoing an oral cancer screening, you\u2019ll also have your teeth cleaned, which\nis integral in preventing the development of oral cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line is that by taking proactive steps for\nimproved oral health, you may be actually saving your life as well. So reach\nout to schedule your first visit today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Jon Davidson is a graduate of the University of Detroit\nMercy. He has since gone on to provide 24 years of top-notch dental care. To stay\nabreast of the latest breakthroughs in dentistry and to further expand his\nknowledge, Dr. Davidson takes continuing education courses throughout the year.\nHe provides preventive care, which includes oral cancer screenings, at Dental\nDynamics, and he can be reached for more information through his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is it really that important to visit your dentist for preventive care? After all, you feel okay. Unfortunately, danger could still be lurking, an example of which is the development of oral cancer. Because this is a growing problem in America, April has been designated as National Oral Cancer Awareness Month. It\u2019s a time where [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28\/revisions\/31"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}