Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer can form in any part of the mouth or throat. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, over age 40, use tobacco or alcohol or have a history of head or neck cancer. Frequent sun exposure is also a risk for lip cancer.
At Tampa Dental we use the Velscope to help with the diagnosis of oral cancer. The Velscope is used only as a screening instrument as is visual and touch (palpation) during an oral exam. The Velscope emits a light ray which can show an area of possible concern for a cancer lesion. It is not a definitive cancer diagnosis but it does indicate if an area is suspicious and if a biopsy should be performed.