Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when it's caught early. That's why our practice performs ViziLite Plus exams as an integral part of our annual comprehensive oral screening exam.
One American dies every hour from oral cancer. As with most other cancers, age is the primary risk factor for oral cancer. Though tobacco use is a major predisposing risk factor, 27% of oral cancers occur in people who don't smoke and have no other lifestyle risk factors.
Are you at risk for oral cancer? Virtually everyone is.
Increased Risk
Patients age 18-39, sexually active patients (HPV 16/18)
High Risk
Patients age 40 and older, tobacco/alcohol users younger than 40
Highest Risk
Patients age 40 or older and lifestyle risk factors (tobacco and alcohol use), patients with a history of oral cancer.
And, if you're sexually active, here's another reason to get screened. The human papilloma virus (HPV) is an extremely common sexually transmitted infection and especially prevalent in young adults. Few people even know they have it. HPV has long been known to cause cervical cancer and now studies suggest it also plays a role in more than 20% of oral cancer cases.
According to the American Cancer Society, more women in the United States will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year than will be diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Clinical studies have determined that using ViziLite Plus after the standard oral cancer examination improves the dental professional's ability to identify and evaluate suspicious areas at their earliest stages. When premalignant lesions or early stage oral cancer is found, treatment is simpler, less invasive and more than 90% successful.
ViziLite Plus is an easy, quick and painless examination that gives us the best chance to find any oral abnormalities you may have at the earliest possible stage.
