At Saginaw Dental, we are committed to helping our patients smile with health and happiness. However, part of oral healthcare extends to your overall wellbeing. One of the issues that Dr. Rupeshwar Renkuntla routinely checks for is oral cancer. This type of cancer is found in the mouth, jaw, tongue, and other areas linked to your smile. While we never want to find cancer, Dr. Renkuntla ensures that we can catch this disease early before it can cause serious damage. Thankfully, we offer oral cancer screenings in Saginaw to give patients confidence that they are cancer-free. Read on to learn more about oral cancer screenings and why they’re so important.
Oral Cancer is a relatively common type of cancer that affects almost 60,000 Americans a year. If you use tobacco, drink alcohol excessively, or have HPV, you may be at a higher risk of being affected by oral cancer. Usually, this problem is difficult to spot, which is why routine screenings are so important. That’s where Dr. Renkuntla can help! He practices thorough preventive dentistry, and one of the parts of your dental exams is looking for oral cancer. If caught early enough, oral cancer is incredibly treatable—patients can often enjoy a full recovery. So, even if you don’t think you need regular dental checkups and cleanings, these visits are actually potentially lifesaving!
While the warning signs of oral cancer are often hard to notice, you should pay extra close attention to ensure you’re aware of these symptoms:
Getting an oral cancer screening is super easy! So simple that you may have even received them before without even knowing it. Dr. Renkuntla provides oral cancer screenings during your routine checkups and they only take a matter of minutes. First, he will carefully examine your mouth, gums, cheeks, tongue, throat, and any other related areas for abnormalities like red or white patches. Then, he will provide a quick physical examination, feeling along your lymph nodes and jaw for asymmetries like lumps or bumps. This entire process is convenient, and it helps give patients peace of mind. If Dr. Renkuntla does discover a potential sign, he will order a biopsy and discuss your next best steps to get you healthy once more.
When is the last time you visited the dentist in Saginaw for a checkup and cleaning? Contact our office to ensure that you’re on top of your dental health and cancer-free!