Dentists Detect Early Mouth, Gum & Throat Cancer

TCD offers premium dental health care services in Madison, including complete oral cancer screenings for early detection. Early detection, combined with regular preventative dental care visits, is crucial to maintaining your oral health.

Madison, WI Oral Cancer Screening Services

According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, One person dies from oral cancer every hour in the United States. The 5-year survival rate is only about 64%. Oral cancer screenings and early detection save lives. Schedule a consultation to take control of your health today.

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An oral cancer screening can catch early-stage oral cancer and save your life. Don't take your chances with oral cancer, make sure to schedule an early detection screening the next time you are at our Madison dental office.

Dr. Brett Clark, DDS Dentist & Owner

Madison's Best Early Oral Cancer Detection with ViziLite Plus

To catch cancer at its earliest stage, Total Care Dental Madison offers a new method of detection called ViziLite Plus. Fluorescent light is used to detect a cancerous or precancerous lesion unseen by the naked eye. The painless procedure only takes a few minutes and allows our dentists to identify and evaluate abnormal tissue.

ViziLite studies show no false negatives and significantly fewer false positives than standard visual examinations, limiting unnecessary biopsies.

NOTE: Keep in mind a positive reading for abnormal cells does not automatically mean you have oral cancer. Oral tissue damage by biting your cheek or food irritations can be identified in the ViziLite examination. Your dentist will review the results of the test to determine whether the lesion is potentially cancerous or likely benign.

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Know What Oral Cancer Looks Like

Sores or ulcers
Red or white patches on the tongue, cheeks or gums
Lumps/bumps on the throat, tongue, gums, lips or neck
Difficulty swallowing or chewing
Feeling of something stuck in the throat
Unexplained numbness, pain or bleeding in the mouth
Long-lasting sore throat
Ear pain
Ill-fitting dentures
Voice changes

The earliest stages of oral cancer are often painless, but a burning sensation can develop as cancer grows. If you have any of above symptoms for more than two weeks or are having difficulty or discomfort moving your tongue or swallowing, contact Madison’s Total Care Dental immediately.

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Who is at Risk for Oral Cancer?

Oral Cancer Tooth Discoloration Everyone should have an oral cancer screening at least once a year during a regular dental exam. Some people are especially at risk for oral cancer:

Men (twice as likely to get oral cancer than women)
Anyone 18 or older, but especially people over 55
People with HPV (human papillomavirus)
People with a family history of cancer
Smokers
Tobacco users
Heavy drinkers
People who have had excessive sun exposure

Whether or not you fall into one of the categories above, keep an eye out for symptoms of oral cancer. The incidence of oral cancers in people under 40 is rising. Keep up with regular dental exams and schedule an oral cancer screening with TCD to stay on top of your oral health.

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Laughing Man with Healthy Mouth

Oral Cancer Screening Cost

The cost of oral cancer screenings may be covered by insurance. Even if you have no dental insurance, the out-of-pocket cost is affordable. We accept many of the major dental insurers and have financing plans so all our patients can receive oral cancer screenings.

Oral Cancer Treatment: There Are Options

When oral cancer is caught early enough, treatment has a 90% success rate! There are a number of treatment options, often used in combination:

Surgery to remove cancerous tissue
Radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors
Chemotherapy to kill cancer cells

Depending on the stage of development when the cancer is diagnosed, the patient may require only one type of treatment or all three. Some patients benefit from supportive care to manage pain, symptoms, side effects of treatment and emotional effects.

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