Oral Pathology

Meticulous examination and extensive documentation of existing conditions observed from intraoral and extraoral exams are imperative to the total assessment of paients for proper treatment planning. Lesions are often identified without the patient even knowing they exist because they are asymptomatic. It is the dental professionals responsibility to make every effort possible to detect suspicious lesions early and rule out the presence of oral cancer.

Oral Cancer Screening

The statistics tell the story~ 34,000 people a year are diagnosed with oral cancer, and 7,500 die from it. Just half of those diagnosed survive five years, according to the American Cancer Society.

A typical oral cancer is life-threatening, largely because it's detected too late. Many consumers are not aware of oral cancer, even though it causes twice as many deaths as cervical cancer.

The American Dental Association is urging peope to seek screening for oral cancer.

The cornerstone of oral-cancer detection isn't a device, it's a 5 minute exam that can be done during your regular dental checkup.

*Look and feel inside the lips and the front of the gums

*Tilt the head back to inspect and feel the roof of the mouth.

*Pull the cheeks out to see inside surfaces and back of the gums.

*Feel for lumps and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, including under the lower jaw.

Every dentist should do this on every patient every 6 months. About 10% of the patients have spots that need further investigation, but most turn out to not be cancer.

Oral cancers are strongly linked to smoking. People who smoke and drink heavily are at the highest risk. Chewing tobacco also may increase the risks. But about 25% of those diagnosed wih oral cancer don't use tobacco.

Herpes and Oral Cancer

Onco VEX, the virus that causes cold sores (herpes simplex 1) has been used in small scale study to treat patients with mouth, neck and head cancer. Researchers injected the virus into the affected lymph node of 17 patients with mouth, neck or head cancer. The virus was injected in up to four doses. In 14 patients, tumor shrinkage was noted, and more than 75% of these patients did not show any signs of cancer in the treated lymph nodes. Two years later, more than 75% of the patients were still living. Because these cancers are typically aggressive with a high rate of recurrence, the results are promising. The researchers suggest that larger trials are warranted to further study this technique.

Your Dentist Can Make a Difference in the Prevention and Early Detection of Oral Cancer

It is estimated that 36,540 new cases of oral cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2010 and approximately 7,880 people will die from this disease. Oral cancer amounts for approximately 3 percent of cancers in men and 2 percent of cancers in women, and occur most frequently in black males. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancer kills roughly one person per hour, 24 hours per day and the survival rate has not significantly improved in over five decades. Although detection and treatment are possible at the early stages, most oral cancers are moderately advanced at the time of diagnosis, influencing treatment and prognosis. The cost of treating head and neck cancers each year amounts to approximately $3.2 billion.

There are multiple risk factors for oral cancer, including age, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, HPV infection, exposure to ultraviolet radiation and a diet low in fruits and vegetables. Although most cases of oral cancer occur in people older that 45, data on the incidence of oral cancer has shown a substantial increase in those younger than 40 . While most oral cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors, it is noteworthy that approximately 25 percent of oral cancer occurs in those with no risk fctors. The American Cancer Society recommends the primary care physicians and dentists examine the mouth and throat as part of a routine cancer-related exam. Also, people at high risk for oral cancer should perform monthly self-examinations using a mirror to check for signs and symptoms of cancer in the mouth and throat.

We at Suwanee Dental Care will work together to reduce the incidence of oral cancer, to improve early detection practices, and to create an environment that supports saving lives as a practice priority.

VELscope - the Oral Cancer Screening System

The VELscope System is a revolutionary hand-held device that provides the dentists, hygienists and other oral health care professionals with an easy-to-use adjunctive mucosal examination system for the early detection of abnormal tissue. It is based on the direct visualization of tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that occur when abnormalities are present. Under the examination with the VELscope, abnormal tissue typically appears as an irregular, dark area that stands out against the otherwise normal, green fluorescence pattern of surrounding healthy tissue.

Oral cancer kills one person every 24 hours a day in North America. The incidence of oral cancer increased 11% in the United States in 2007. The overall 5 year survival rate for oral cancer is 52%, but when discovered early, it increases to 80-90%. Unfortunately, only 35% of oral cancer cases are diagnosed in the early stages.Pre-malignant changes actually start below the surface, at the basement membrane. These changes may not be apparent to the naked eye until the disease progresses to the surface.

The VELscope System can single out suspicious tissue and early discovery can save lives. Ask us about the Velscope Oral Cancer Screening System today!

VELscope ~ the oral cancer screening system

Oral cancer is one of the few types of cancer that haven't experienced a significantly reduced mortality rate in the past 30 years. In fact, the number of North Americans developing oral cancer is three times the number who develop cervical cancer. Sadly, one North American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day.

The problem: Oral cancer is discovered in late stages about 70% of the time, and often that is simply too late.

Oral cancer has traditionally been associated with tobacco usage and it's true that the majority of oral cancer victims smoke or use chewing tobacco, consume alcohol and are over 40. But the group experiencing the highest growth rate of oral cancer incidence does not fit this traditional "at risk" profile. More and more, oral cancer is striking younger people who don't use tobacco or abuse alcohol.

In many cases, the cause appears to be one of two strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV-16 or HPV-18) that can be contracted during sexual intercourse and especially oral sex.

As a result, health care experts recommend annual oral cancer screenings for all adults ages 18 and older. If you smoke or use tobacco, screenings are recommended every six months.

Our practice has purchased a state-of-the-art device called the VELscope oral cancer screening system. We can use this device to literally see beneath the surface to detect potentially dangerous growths we might have otherwise missed.

In most cases, the VELscope exam will reveal nothing of concern and take only a few minutes as part of a regular hygiene check-up. It involves no pain and is completely safe. We think you will find this additional cost for this exam to be very reasonable, and it might be that the cost will be covered by your insurance.

We think that you'll appreciate the peace-of-mind this screening can provide.