Westchester VELscope – Oral Cancer Testing

Oral Cancer Screening – An Essential Part of Your Dental Exam

Over 30,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer in America each year. But a quarter of patients diagnosed have no known risk factor for oral cancer. As an important part of your routine oral health care, an oral cancer screening with by your Westchester Vel Scope dentist allows early detection so we can catch the disease at its early stages. It is estimated that early screening and detection of oral cancer can increase survival rates by as much as 90%.

We include oral cancer screening with every routine dental exam

Every routine check-up at our office includes an oral cancer screening and visual inspection of the tissues of your mouth using the Westchester Vel Scope. This device is the most powerful tool available for detecting abnormal cells in your mouth. When used, the device fluoresces (or lights up) healthy oral tissue. It is quite noticeable when patterns emerge that indicate the possibility of cancerous or pre-cancerous tissue. By using the Vel Scope, we can detect a wide variety of oral abnormalities before they can be seen by the naked eye.

Schedule routine dental exams to preserve oral health and potentially save your life

The possibility of oral cancer is just another reason to be conscientious about scheduling and keeping your regular dental exams. If you put off these important exams, you run the risk of allowing oral cancer to take its toll before it’s even detected. We will look for other early signs of oral cancer like red spots, sores, a change in your bite, or a change in the color of the oral tissues.

Unfortunately, oral cancer rates have recently been on the rise, especially in patients who have no known risk factors for the disease. These would include heavy drinking, smoking, or a family history of the disease. If you know these risk factors are present for you, it is absolutely critical that you make an appointment to have an oral cancer screening at least once a year.