{"id":666,"date":"2024-04-13T21:36:30","date_gmt":"2024-04-13T21:36:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whiteclaydental.com\/blog\/?p=666"},"modified":"2026-04-16T19:36:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T19:36:55","slug":"what-does-an-oral-cancer-screening-entail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whiteclaydental.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/13\/what-does-an-oral-cancer-screening-entail\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does an Oral Cancer Screening Entail?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Patient<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cCancer\u201d is the last word that anybody wants to hear from any kind of health professional. Even just discussing the topic can be unnerving, but if you want to prevent this dangerous condition it\u2019s important to have frank conversations with your doctors about the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is part of why every dental checkup<\/a> includes an oral cancer screening, which will give your dentist an opportunity to catch signs of the condition early. Here\u2019s what that kind of screening is likely to entail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Oral Cancer Screening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you were unaware that dentists even conducted an oral cancer screening, you probably aren\u2019t alone. This is because the entire process takes only moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, your dentist will visually examine the inside of your mouth for any irregularities. This could be anything from an abnormal white patch to a small lump. In some situations, dentists will use specialized lights or dyes in order to make finding these irregularities a little bit easier. They\u2019ll also usually put on gloves and feel along the soft tissues in the mouth for any abnormalities that aren\u2019t visually apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, the dentist will ask you to look up so that they can get a better look at your neck. They\u2019ll run their fingers along your neck to feel for swollen lymphnodes or anything else strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If any irregularities are found, the dentist might decide to take a biopsy and send it to a lab. However, this is usually unnecessary; for most patients, the oral cancer screening is completed in seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of Oral Cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to be proactive about checking for oral cancer, as the condition becomes harder to treat the longer that it\u2019s allowed to progress. If you notice any of these signs of oral cancer, and if they don\u2019t go away after a few weeks, it\u2019s a good idea to talk to your dentist:<\/p>\n\n\n\n