At the South Calgary Denture and Implant Clinic, we do our very best to ensure that your oral health is in tip top shape. That means proper fittings, care, and attention to what is going on in and around your mouth. One of the ways we do this is through performing a quick Velscope intraoral exam. Here is what we are looking for and what that means for you!
The C-Word
The Velscope intraoral exam is used as a cancer screening tool. With this technology, your denturist can detect areas that are abnormal, signifying cancerous or even pre-cancerous tissues. This type of exam is an important part of your oral health maintenance. Not only is the inside of your mouth a tough area for you to look at, but blood tests cannot identify mouth or throat cancers in the same way they can detect them in other parts of the body. This creates a greater risk of the disease spreading before it is diagnosed.
Early Detection
Oral cancers manifest as carcinomas that form and potentially spread to other parts of the mouth and even the body through the bloodstream or lymph system. It may sound scary, but the good news is that oral cancer is highly treatable if caught early. In fact, the cure rate for early detection is 90%! There are many different ways to treat this disease, and the earlier it’s found, the easier the treatment process will be.
Total Mouth Care
Some of you may be asking: why is my denturist screening for oral cancer? The answer is simple; it’s because we care. The risk of oral cancer increases significantly in people over the age of 40. As it works out, most of our patients are north of 40 and stand a greater chance of developing this disease. As your denturist team, we spend a lot of time in and around your mouth and give our patients peace of mind. And if we do find anything abnormal, we can then refer you to dental specialists and oral pathologists.
As always, we are here to answer any questions you may have about your oral health. Call us today at either of our Calgary locations for a consultation.
