Anytime you have a spot, discoloration, or a lesion in your mouth that lasts more than two weeks, you should have it checked. Pain is not necessarily an indicator of cancer, so Dr. Grizzle should look at it whether it hurts or not.
Oral cancer is a particularly deadly form of cancer. Eight thousand Americans will die of oral cancer this year out of the 43,000 diagnosed each year. It is particularly deadly not because it is difficult to treat, but because we so commonly discover it later when it is more difficult to treat.
More than 50% of Americans do not receive regular dental care either because they think they can’t afford it, because of a fear of the dentist, or because they simply do not see the value of professional dental care.
Lack of dental care can cause numerous systemic illnesses including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and can leave serious diseases like oral cancer undetected. Often your dentist is the only person looking inside your mouth who knows how to recognize the early signs of oral cancer.
Dr. Grizzle performs oral cancer screenings at each dental exam. You never know, your dentist may save your life.