At Ritchie Dental Group in Marble Falls and Brady TX we encourage people to come in twice a year for a dental examination and cleaning. If you skip a checkup because you don’t think you have any decay, remember that one of the great benefits is an getting an oral cancer screening.
Oral cancer claims almost 10,000 lives in the United States every year. If you smoke or have contracted HPV, you have a higher risk for developing oral cancer.
Here are five critical things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.
- About 80% of men and women with oral cancer use some type of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
- 40% of those who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer pass away within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
- In many cases, it is extremely challenging for the individual to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers because they can produce indistinct symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be evaluated by a dentist or doctor.
- HPV (the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the US) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the many strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most often linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
- African American men have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than do whites.
At Ritchie Dental Group in Marble Falls and Brady TX we use Oral DNA testing to help us diagnose and monitor things like oral HPV. Patients from Burnet, Kingsland, and Meadowlakes appreciate our thorough care, and come to us for general and family dentistry, restorative dentistry, and much more. Call to schedule a checkup with us today!
Contact Ritchie Dental Group:
830-693-8833
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
Ritchie Dental Group – Marble Falls
1000 Marble Heights Dr
Marble Falls, TX 78654
Ritchie Dental Group – Brady
2001 Nine Rd
Brady, TX 76825
