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Oral cancer is the most common in patients who are 40+ years of age, but can affect anyone regardless of age.
At our office, we perform oral cancer screenings as part of every regular six-month visit at Cavity Patrol Pediatric Dentistry. Your child’s appointment in Cypress or Katy will begin with a comprehensive teeth cleaning from one of our hygienists.
Dr. Chun or Dr. Julia will examine your child’s mouth to look for any potential signs of oral cancer, like lesions, bumps, or other abnormalities. In some cases, a flexible intraoral camera may be used to get a better look at a potential issue.
Whether done as part of an oral cancer screening or a routine teeth cleaning, x-rays allow our doctors to look for signs of cancer throughout the jaw and neck, and note issues that may not be visible with a visual inspection alone.
In some cases, Dr. Julia or Dr. Chun may recommend a biopsy of a particular piece of tissue to check for the presence of cancer. This process is fast and pain-free for your child.
Oral cancer screenings are extremely important because they are the only way to catch oral cancer early, and ensure the best possible outcome for any patient who has oral cancer.
This is because oral cancer is very hard to detect without an oral exam. In many cases, it may only be noticed after it has reached Stage III or IV, and has spread throughout the body (metastasized).
The chances of long-term survival are very good when oral cancer is noticed early, but drop by a lot when it spreads through the body. Because of this, regular, routine oral cancer screenings by a pediatric dentist in Cypress or Katy can help ensure peace of mind for you and your family.
In the early stages, oral cancer typically has signs and symptoms like bumps and lesions in the mouth, discolored patches of tissue, and a sore throat or a feeling of something being stuck in the throat.
As the cancer progresses, it can cause symptoms like difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or the tongue. It may also cause ear pain and numbness in the tongue or other areas of the mouth.
Oral cancer is extremely rare in kids. While we perform routine cancer screenings at our Katy or Cypress offices, it’s rare for pediatric patients to get this disease. If your child does have oral cancer, you will need to see a pediatric oncologist (cancer specialist). Treatment may involve surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy depending on the case.
Oral cancer is the most common in patients who are 40+ years of age, but can affect anyone regardless of age.
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