Free oral cancer screening on offer at Fayetteville practice
Dr Bruce Cassis, from Cassis Dental Centre in Fayetteville is offering free dental screening to celebrate Oral Cancer Awareness Week.
Dr Cassis will host a free clinic on Friday 18th April and appointments will be available all day; each examination only takes between 2 and 3 minutes but the test could potentially save lives.
Dr Cassis said that an oral cancer screening examination should be a part of everyone’s general health regime; attending regular check-ups is important for good oral health and screening tests are used to identify signs of oral cancer, a disease which is becoming increasingly common. Screening can save lives because early detection and treatment increases survival rates by up to 90 percent; many people are unaware of the symptoms of oral cancer and therefore they do not visit their dentist or doctor until they have advanced symptoms and this means that treatment is less effective and survival rates are lower.
Major risk factors for oral cancer include smoking, drinking, a poor diet and recently studies have linked oral cancer to the HPV (human papilloma) virus. Signs to look out for include red or white patches in the mouth, sores which do not heal after more than a week and any abnormal swelling in the mouth or throat.
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