In my last blog, I discussed the increasing prevalence of oral cancer in the U.S. This month, let’s talk about what we can do in the office to catch this awful disease before it starts to spread.

The most important thing we do to find oral cancer is an annual tissue exam. This exam is done at lease once a year during your doctor exam, and every time you see the hygienist. Even if you have full dentures, you should be in for a doctor exam at least once per year to check your tissues. At this exam, we are looking for changes to your oral tissues, including discoloration, ulceration, increases in size, and changes in shape. Remember, oral cancer is typically painless! So you need someone looking for these lesions, especially if you have any risk factors in your history.

One problem we often run into is that by the time these lesions are visible, they are also fairly advanced. For this reason, we have invested in the Velscope system. The Velscope exam consists of a high intensity light that normal tissues reflect, creating a “green glow”. Tissues that are potentially diseased show up as “black holes”, completely absorbing the light. This exam is available at your hygiene visit, and we recommend it for most of our adult patients, especially if you are in a high risk category (i.e. smoker, drink alcoholic beverages, or are sexually active).

If we find any suspicious areas during either the tissue or Velscope exam, we may recommend a Brush Biopsy. That exam will be the focus of my next and last blog on this subject.