Watch Your Mouth

Screening and treatment for a health, bright smile

By Kathy Kidwell

We al want our smiles to be bright and healthy, but caring for your mouth goes far beyond daily brushing and flossing. It’s important to remember that the health of your mouth can affect your entire body so, naturally, professional help is needed.

Many men and women are familiar with early detection methods for cancer, but only for a few specific forms. Oral cancer is a type of cancer that many overlook, unaware of the early detection methods available. By simply requesting an oral cancer screening at your regular dental visits, you can significantly increase your changes of surviving oral cancer.

“In the U.S. alone, approximately 34,000 individuals are newly diagnosed with oral cancer each year. This number is increasing due to oral cancer’s link with the human papilomavirus (HPV),” says Hugh Flax, D.D.S., President-Elect of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and owner of Atlanta Aesthetic and Laser Dentistry. “Oral cancer is estimated to be three time as common as cerival cancer. Sadly, two-thirds of the time, oral cancer is diagnosed in late stages. About 50 percent of those patients will not survive more than 5 years.”

On the bright side, Flax notes that the American Cancer Society estimates that early detection of oral cancer improves 5-year survival rates from 22 percent to almost 90 percent. “Besides running the ris of death, the need for oral cancer treatment can dramatically affect your ability to eat, swallow, kiss or talk, as well as distort your appearance,” Flax says, emphasizing the importance of early detection to avoid health- and appearance- changing effects.

The screening process

According to Flax, every dental practioner has been taught how to perform visual (sight) and tactil (touch) exams to detect signs of oral cancer in patients. The dentist will study your skin, lips, the interior of your mouth ad the underside of your chin and neck during these exams. According to Carol M. Wolff, D.D.S., dental practioner at Wolff & Creene Dentistry in Atlanta, these traditional screening are available at most dental offices, and should be done every dental checkups.

“We now have an added tool of using a vinegar-type rinse with a special light that allows us to pick up cells that may have undergone precancerous changes before we can see them with the naked eye,” Wolff says. “This includes the ViziLite Plus and VELscope tests available in many dental offices.”

These high-tech screening take only 5 to 10 minutes, and cost anywhere from $35-$100. Some insurance carriers offer benefits to cover the cost. Check with your dentist to see if he or she offers these advanced screenings. You can also visit www.visilite.com to find a ViziLite Plus provider, or www.velscope.com to search the user directory for a local VELscope provider.

Cancers that can be detected

Should any screenings - traditional or advanced – provide abnormal results, the dentist will refer you to a surgeon, who will take a biopsy of the abnormal tissue and determine whether or not you have oral cancer, and if you have cancer, the surgeon will determine what type of cancer it is. Unlike the screenings, biopsy results can take several days to obtain.

Regarding the types of oral cancer that can be detected, Rob E. Sable, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., a dental practioner in Alpharetta says, “More than 90 percent of oral cancers that are detected through biopisies are squamous cells carcinomas. The other 10 percent include salivary gland tumors, lymphoma and sarcoma.”

Who should be screened?

According to Sable, “Oral cancer screening should begin by age 18 and the performed annually. People who are high risk should be evaluated every 6 months,” While this is a good rule of thumb, Wolff pints out that, “Even though it is rare in children, we know that many oral cancers are caused by the HPV virus, so it can be found in anyone.”