Dental Checkups And Examinations

Oral cancer is a severe health condition which can prove fatal if not treated quickly. Without knowledge of the early symptoms of the onset of the disease, oral cancer can go undetected and quickly become life-threatening. Therefore, timely diagnosis of the condition is crucial to effectively treating oral cancer. Dentists screen the mouth for any signs of oral cancer during dental checkups. Additionally, periodic dental checkups conducted in a space of every six months increases the probability of detecting oral cancer substantially. While oral abnormalities may easily go undetected by the common man, dentists can easily classify them as symptoms alluding to the onset of the disease and take prompt action for the treatment of the condition.
Generally, a VELscopeCancer exam which uses a special light to detect dead tissue caused due to the formation of tumors is used for oral cancer screening. The process is minimally invasive, painless, and quick.

In addition to checking the condition of a patient’s teeth and gums, the dentist also conducts a thorough examination of the head, neck, jaw and lymph nodes located below a patient’s jawline. The dentist checks for any abnormalities, swelling, or lumps in different regions of the face. Detection of an abnormality can be a sign of a serious health condition such as cancer and may require prompt action to be taken. Skipping or avoiding dental examinations drastically delays the examination of lymph nodes, neck, and thyroid glands which can lead to the development of serious health conditions beyond their initial phase.

The oral examination during a routine dental checkup involves examination of the gums and detection of signs of gum disease development, checking for the presence of any loose teeth, examination of the tongue, checking a patient’s bite, looking for signs of tooth decay. Additionally, the procedure also evaluates dental restorations, dental fillings, and examines the condition of the gums covering the teeth.

Dental X-rays are an integral part of routine examinations and shed light on the issues that may not be visible to the naked eye. X-ray imaging diagnoses issues such as impacted teeth unable to push through the gum line, internal damage to the jawbone, cysts, swelling, tumors, and tooth decay. The detection of these symptoms is essential for the quick diagnosis of severe diseases which do not show any visible symptoms and can progress quickly.