VELscope Oral Cancer Screening from your Surrey Dentist
Oral cancer kills one person every hour, and without correct detection methods, a person may have dental cancer and not even know it. In almost all cases of dental cancer, early detection has a significant effect on a patient’s chances of survival. By identifying and treating oral cancer early, a client’s five year survival rate is 80-90% greater.
Typical causes of oral cancer include:
- Regular use of tobacco items (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco).
- Extreme usage of alcohol.
- Genetics (a family history of dental cancer or any type of cancer).
- Extreme direct exposure to the sun at a young age.
While men above the age of 50 are normally at the most risk for dental cancer, there has been a current boost in the number of women with oral cancer due to a connection between oral cancer and the human papilloma virus (HPV-16).
The VELscope screening system consists of a specialized white light source and viewing scope that make it simpler for your Derna Dental dentist to look carefully at the tissues inside your mouth. Normal tissues will almost glow a bright green colour. Irregular tissue appears much darker under the unique light.
An irregular screening does not constantly suggest that the patient has cancer. If an unusual screening occurs, our Surrey dental professionals may arrange a second scan later on to see if the dark spots vanish, or might decide to perform a mild, non-invasive brush biopsy to see if it’s not cancer.
Contact our Surrey dental practice, Derna Dental Clinic, to set up a complimentary, no-obligation dental cancer screening utilizing VELscope today.
