April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Always April is a national partnership of oral surgery practices across the country that strives to bring oral cancer awareness into a year-round discussion.

At Canyon Oral & Facial Surgery, we look for signs of oral cancer during every patient exam. Earlier this year, we held a community oral screening event at our office to look for signs of oral cancer. No matter the month, we want everyone to know to ask their oral care provider to look for signs of oral cancer during their regular office visits.

Screening Partners:

Jo-Lawrence Bigcas, MD - Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Microvascular Reconstruction at UNLV Health
Sonal S. Shah, DDS - Oral & Maxillofacial Pathologist at the UNLV Oral Pathology Clinic

Did you know...

One person dies from oral cancer every 49 minutes in the United States
One person is diagnosed with oral cancer every 10 minutes in the United States.
Oral cancer is one of the most common, yet most preventable cancers. When detected early the 5-year relative survival rate is approximately 81%.
Oral cancer is rising in low risk groups.
Oral cancer kills about as many Americans as melanoma and twice as many as cervical cancer.

What to expect during an oral cancer screening:

There is no need to do anything to prepare for a standard oral cancer screening. During the screening, an oral care specialist will look over the inside of your mouth to check for red or white patches or mouth sores. They will also feel the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or other abnormalities, and may examine your throat and neck for lumps.