5 Critical Oral Cancer Facts

oral cancer dental checkup Staten Island

At Staten Island Dental Care we encourage people to come in twice a year for a dental examination and cleaning.  If you skip them because you don’t think you have any tooth decay, perhaps getting an oral cancer screening is a more persuasive reason.

In the last few decades, lung and breast cancer have had a lot of public attention. There is less awareness of oral cancer, even though it claims almost 10,000 lives every year in the United States. If you smoke or have contracted HPV, you have an increased risk for developing oral cancer.

Here are 5 important things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.

  1. About 80% of people with oral cancer use some variety of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
  2. 40% of individuals who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer pass away within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
  3. In many cases, it is almost impossible for the individual to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers because they can produce inconspicuous symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be evaluated 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 many strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most frequently linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
  5. Black males have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than whites.

At Staten Island Dentistry, the dental health and overall health of our patients is critical. Ours services include general and restorative dentistry. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Staten Island Dental Care – Dr. Frederick Hecht:

347-695-4380

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1520 Richmond Ave
Staten Island, New York
10314

 

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