April is World Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Month, which is why this month, your Kelowna dentists at Discover Dental want to highlight the importance of regular dental exams for detecting oral and throat cancers early. Early detection increases the likelihood of successful treatment of Stage I and II oral and throat cancers.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society’s estimates for 2023, 7,900 Canadians would be diagnosed with head and neck cancers that year. This includes oral and oropharyngeal (throat, base of the tongue, and tonsils) cancers. In the United States, head and neck cancers account for nearly 4 percent of all cancers in that country according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
In addition, The American Cancer Society’s most recent 2024 estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the US include about 58,450 new cases this year. They also calculate that the risk of developing these types of cancers is 1 in 69 for men and 1 in 139 for women. Data also reflects a trend of oral cancers increasing about 1% yearly since the mid-2000s.
Who is Most At Risk of Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancers?
You are more at risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer if you:
- Smoke
- Consume alcohol excessively
- Have a family or your own history of cancer
- Have HPV
Oral cancer is more prevalent in males aged 50 and over, however, the fastest growing new oral cancer cases are in younger, sexually active males or females who don’t have typical risk factors as we listed above. Of note, research indicates that 70% of oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV 16.
Head and Neck Cancer Screenings At Discover Dental
Oral cancer screenings are especially critical in oropharyngeal cancer cases linked to HPV since these types are known to develop without exhibiting any early-stage symptoms. At Discover Dental, Dr. Jeremie Hallett, Dr. Natalie Carter, and Dr. Corey Hayward provide physical screenings for oral and oropharyngeal cancers as well as with VELscope®. This diagnostic tool allows us to spot possible oropharyngeal cancer symptoms that aren’t visible by the eye alone. VELscope emits specific wavelengths of blue spectrum light to stimulate natural tissue fluorescence, allowing abnormal tissue to appear in a darker, contrasting hue than healthy tissue when viewed through the device.
Your Kelowna Dentist Bringing You a Full Range of Oral Care
Discover Dental is a Kelowna family dental practice providing top-notch, quality dental care for all ages, prioritize patient comfort and personalized service in a welcoming setting.
Dr. Jeremie Hallett, Dr. Corey Hayward, and Dr. Natalie Carter offer a full range of dental treatments including general dentistry, kids dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry and surgical dental procedures. Whether you have a cavity that needs filling, are interested in filling out your smile with dental implants or veneers, or need a dental glow-up with whitening, Discover Dental’s got your smile covered.
Schedule your next appointment and be sure to ask about an oral cancer screening with VELscope during your visit.