Oral cancer is now the fifth most common cancer in the world, it kills about one-third of those diagnosed with it, and 28,000 new cases occur each year. Now that we’ve got your attention, there’s hope.
Are there any red or white spots you haven’t noticed before? Maybe you have taken a wait-and-see approach to a small sore you found last week. Any unexplained swelling? Discoloration that doesn’t hurt a lick? Come on in we need to see what you see.
Most oral lesions, as we call them, are harmless. A piece of crusty French bread with dinner can scratch delicate tissues. But if you use tobacco and alcohol, or are being treated for any number of systemic diseases, including diabetes and autoimmune disorders among them, that harmless irritation is a red flag. During your dental appointment, we’ll take a closer look. When we find a lesion, suspicious or not, we intend to lean on the cautious side.
In our office we now have the ViziLite for early detection of oral cancer. Here is how it works: we have you rinse your mouth with a raspberry-flavored mouthwash. Next we use a special light stick, similar to those kids play with that lights up when bent, to examine the inside of your mouth for abnormalities that could lead to cancer. If we find a suspicious area we have you come back to be reexamined in two weeks to be sure. ViziLite is not a replacement for traditional tests, but an enhancement to help detect oral cancer early and hopefully in time for a cure.
Mark A. Poitras, DDS, practices Cosmetic and Sedation Dentistry at 19310 Avenue of the Oaks in Santa Clarita.
For more information, please call 661-251-0700.