The Importance of Oral Cancer Exam

More than 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. That means that somewhere on the lips, the gums, the linings of the cheeks, the tongue, the floor of the mouth (underneath the tongue), the palates, and that little pad behind the wisdom teeth, there could be something lurking that threatens your well-being. Oral cancer can be deadly. However, if diagnosed early enough, oral cancers can be treated with great success. Consider your doctor exceptional if, when performing your yearly physical, he looks at more in your mouth than just your tonsils and that little dangly thing in the back of your throat (your uvula). According to The American Cancer Society, a 1992 national survey revealed that only 15% of the population reported ever having had an oral View the rest of this article