Oral cancer screenings are one of the most important services we provide at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s office for Cosmetic and General Dentistry in west Los Angeles. As part of Oral Cancer Awareness month, we want to ensure that our patients recognize warning signs of throat cancer so they can help us help them.
Anti-smoking campaigns have been critical to reducing oral cancer fatalities, but in recent years, cancers associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) have increased. Out of nearly two hundred known strains of HPV, only one has been proven to cause oral cancer. However, it is so far unproven that HPV vaccines are effective against it, and there is no test for it. HPV-associated oral cancer usually occurs in the back of the mouth and top of the throat, which is known as the oropharynx, making it difficult to screen for visually or through biopsies.
Pain, numbness, and swelling are warning signs of developing throat cancer, but these sensations may occur in the jaw or ear as well as the throat. If patients notice these problems, they should not assume they know the cause or that abstaining from smoking or alcohol eliminates oral cancer as a possibility. Tactile testing is still useful for detecting cancer in the oropharynx, and if caught early, HPV-associated cancers are more responsive to treatments than those caused by drugs.
Suzanne Haeri, DDS, of Cosmetic & General Dentistry, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.
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