How Do You Detect Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer, commonly known as mouth cancer, is a type of cancer that develops in the tissues of the mouth or throat. It is a subtype of head and neck cancer. It is typically present in the squamous cells of the lips, mouth, and tongue. Oral cancer is typically identified after progressing to the neck lymph nodes. The best Brooklyn dentists work to determine the stage of your mouth cancer. Your cancer’s stage helps your doctor determine your treatment options.

Here are six early warning signs of oral cancer!

• Mouth pain
• Numbness of the tongue
• Lump in the neck
• Ulcers around your mouth that have not yet healed
• Over your tongue or oral cavity, a numb, white area
• A lump in your throat, swollen jaw, and difficulty swallowing or eating.

Let’s look at the first sign of oral cancer, small sores of three types!

• Leukoplakia (white sores) 
• Erythroplakia (red sores)
• Erythroleukoplakia (white and red sores together).

These often progress to the following over time:

• Pain
• Bleeding
• Loose teeth
• A sore throat
• A Change in voice
• Numbness in lips and mouth.

Let’s explore how your dentist diagnoses oral cancer!

Oral Cancer Screening

A cancer workup will begin with a personal medical history, followed by a full head and neck exam, which will include examining for and feeling for any abnormalities inside your mouth with gloved fingers. The dentist at Brooklyn cosmetic dentistry will search for lesions (areas of abnormal tissue), such as white or red patches of cells that could develop into cancer.

The following methods may be used

Toluidine Blue Stain:

A blue dye is applied to lesions in the mouth, and the dye is then studied for spots that stain darker, signifying that they are more likely to be or develop into cancer.

Fluorescence Staining:

After applying fluorescent mouthwash, aberrant tissue in the mouth lesions is visible when they are evaluated under a particular light.

Exfoliative Cytology:

With a piece of cotton or a wooden stick, cells from a questionable area are gently scraped from the lips, tongue, or mouth and examined under a microscope for anomalies.

Biopsy-

This is the gold standard for diagnosing cancer. Taking a sample of tissue or cell and examining it under a microscope is required. Different approaches could be employed depending on where the tumor is placed.

To find out more about the tumor, its location, and any local spread to the lymph nodes or jawbone, you might undergo imaging studies, such as:

• Dental X-rays
• Magnetic resonance imaging scans
• Computed axial tomography scans
• Positron emission tomography scans

Read on to learn the three stages of oral cancer!

TI: The growth in your mouth is no larger than 2 millimeters.

T2: The tumor is no greater than 4 centimeters in diameter and is 2 cm or smaller.

T3: The tumor is beyond 4 cm in size.

Early oral cancer screening in Brooklyn, NY, is still essential for people to have a better chance of survival. This can only be done by doing thorough clinical examinations of the face, mouth, and neck at regular intervals and by being aware of the typical cancer symptoms and indicators.