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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Visiting your dentist twice a year can result in more than healthy teeth and gums. For some patients, such as Joann Drago, going to the dentist can be lifesaving.
Joann was 29 years old and weeks away from her wedding when she went to her dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning. Her dentist asked whether she had noticed any changes in her mouth. Joann had thought nothing of the small, painless bump on the roof of her mouth but told her dentist about it. It turned out to be cancerous.
Because her oral cancer was caught early, Joann underwent a successful surgery in time for a beautiful and cancer-free wedding.
Oral cancer causes more than 8,600 deaths a year. It is particularly dangerous because the initial symptoms are typically painless and go unnoticed by patients. In fact, in many cases, dentists are the first to identify its early symptoms, as many routinely look for signs of cancer during an oral exam.
That’s why it’s so important that patients visit their dentist every six months and alert them to any changes in the mouth, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Oral cancer signs and symptoms may include:
· Red, white, or discolored lesions and patches or lumps in mouth
· A sore that persists longer than two weeks
· Bleeding sores
· Lumps
· Thick, hard spots
· Throat soreness or the feeling that something is caught in the throat
· Difficulty chewing or swallowing
· Ear pain
· Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
· Hoarseness
· Tongue numbness
· Changes in the way the teeth fit together
For more information or to find a dentist, visit www.KnowYourTeeth.com.
About the Academy of General Dentistry
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of 39,000 general dentists dedicated to providing quality dental care and oral health education to the public. AGD members stay up-to-date in their profession through a commitment to continuing education. Founded in 1952, the AGD is the second largest dental association in the United States, and it is the only association that exclusively serves the needs and represents the interests of general dentists. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients’ oral health needs. For more information about the AGD, visitwww.agd.org.
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