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Hey There

Welcome! I'm so glad you're here. Your oral health is deeply important to me—not just for a confident smile, but for your overall well-being. I’m committed to providing you with high-quality care that includes not only routine checkups and cleanings, but also essential services like oral cancer screenings. Whether you're a new visitor or a returning patient, know that your comfort, safety, and health are always my top priorities. This section is here to support you with helpful information, resources, and a commitment to your complete dental care.

Prevalence 

  • An estimated 47,950 new cases will be diagnosed each year

  • Oral Cancer will claim 9700 lives annually

  • On average 57 percent of those diagnosed in the first year will survive more than 5 years

  • Oral cancer affects twice as many men as it does women

Risk    Factors

  •  An estimated 25 percent of those diagnosed with oral cancer have no known risk factors

  •  Alcohol and tobacco remain the greatest risk factors (and using them in combination increases the risk 15 times over the use of one over the other).

  •  Infection with the sexually transmitted HPV16 virus has been lined to a subset of oral cancers. 

  • Historically, oral cancer has been a disease of those ages 40+, but it's incidence in those over 40 is climbing

  • Prolonged sun exposure or tanning bed exposure is a risk factor for oral cancer.

Signs    and    Symptoms

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  • While you may have no symptoms at all you should see your oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dentist if you experience the following:

  • A sore in the lip or mouth that does not heal.

  • A lump or thickening in the lip or mouth that does not heal.

  • A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsils or lining of the mouth. Bleeding pain or numbness in the lip or the or mouth.

  •  Change in voice

  •  Loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit well.

  • Trouble chewing or swallowing of moving the tongue or jaw. 

  • Swelling of the jaw.

  •  Sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat. 

Early    Detection

  • Performing a self-examination regularly increases the chance of identifying changes or new growths early. 

  •  If you have risk factors, also see your oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dentist for an oral examination at least annually. 

  •  The earlier the cancer is detected, the easier the treatment and the greater the chance of a cure.

Sources: Oral Cancer Foundation, National Cancer Institute, 

Prevalence 

  • An    estimated    49,750    new    cases    of    oral    cancer will    be    diagnosed    each    year. 

  • Oral    cancer    will    claim    9,750    lives    annually. 

  • On    average,    57    percent    of    those    with    the disease    will    survive    more    than    five    years.

  • Oral    cancer    affects    almost    twice    as    many    men as    women.

Risk    Factors

  •  An    estimated    25    percent    of    oral    cancer    patients    have    no    known    risk    factors.

  •  Alcohol    and    tobacco    remain    the    greatest    risk    factors    (and    using    them    in    combination    increases    the    risk    15    times    over    the    use    of    one    or    the    other).

  •  Infection    with    the    sexually    transmitted    HPV16    virus    has    been    linked    to    a    subset    of    oral    cancers. 

  • Historically,    oral    cancer    has    been    a    disease    of    those    ages    40+,    but    its    incidence    in    those    under    40    is    climbing. 

  • Prolonged    sun    or    tanning    bed    exposure    is    a    risk    factor    for    lip    cancer.

  Signs    and    Symptoms

  • While    you    may    have    no    symptoms    at    all,    you    should    see    your    oral    and    maxillofacial    surgeon    or    dentist    if    you    experience    any    of    the    following:

  • A    sore    on    the    lip    or    in    the    mouth    that    does not    heal.

  • A    lump    or    thickening    on    the    lips    or    gums or    in    the    mouth.

  • A    white    or    red    patch    on    the    gums,    tongue,    tonsils or    lining    of    the    mouth.  Bleeding,    pain    or    numbness    in    the    lip    or    mouth.

  •  Change    in    voice.

  •  Loose    teeth    or    dentures    that    no    longer    fit    well.

  • Trouble    chewing    or    swallowing    or    moving    the tongue    or    jaw.

  • Swelling    of    the    jaw.

  •  Sore    throat    or    feeling    that    something    is    caught in    the    throat.

Early    Detection

  • Performing    a    self-examination    regularly increases    the    chance    of    identifying    changes or    new    growths    early.

  •  If    you    have    risk    factors,    also    see    your    oral and    maxillofacial    surgeon    or    dentist    for    an oral    examination    at    least    annually.

  •  The    earlier    the    cancer    is    detected,    the    easier    the treatment    and    the    greater    the    chance    of    a    cure.

Sources: Oral Cancer Foundation, National Cancer Institute, 

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