At What Age Should I Get An Oral Cancer Screening?

Woman getting an oral cancer screening.

Oral cancer is found inside your mouth, including on your cheeks, tongue, and at the back of your throat. Like all cancer, it occurs when the cells in your mouth mutate and grow uncontrollably. Without treatment, cancer spreads. When caught early, however, oral cancer is usually very treatable. At what age should you start getting oral cancer screenings at the dentist?

When Should You Start Getting Oral Cancer Screenings?

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, you should start getting screenings every year beginning at around 18 years old. If you use tobacco products at an earlier age, you should get screenings at the time you start using tobacco.

What’s an Oral Cancer Screening Like?

During your oral cancer screening, a dentist uses a light, mirror, or tongue depressor to see inside your mouth. We check for anything unusual like lumps or masses inside your cheeks, under your tongue, on your tongue, on the roof of your mouth, and so on. The screening is totally painless.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

When we perform a screening, we’re looking for signs such as:

  • Sores on your lips or inside your mouth
  • Discolored patches
  • Lumps on your tongue or cheeks

If your tongue, lips, or any part of your mouth starts feeling numb, please let us know. Oral cancer can also make it hard for you to chew or swallow comfortably. Symptoms aren’t always caused by cancer, but we’ll want to investigate to make sure.

Oral Cancer Screenings at Queensboro Plaza Dental Care in Long Island City, NY

Dr. Nguyen and the team are committed to providing the best dental care, including annual oral cancer screenings. Screenings are painless, quick, and an important part of preventive dentistry. If you have questions or want to schedule an appointment, please contact us today!

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Patient Reviews

Karoline PammerKaroline Pammer
20:52 30 Mar 22
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are extremely competent, friendly and professional. He is very thorough and explains everything very clearly. Finally I feel like I am in good hands when it comes to dental care.
Matt SmithMatt Smith
21:18 05 Feb 22
Great overall experience getting a dental cleaning. Very friendly staff, beautifully designed office, and a comfortable experience watching calming Netflix nature programming while in the chair. Complimentary beverages are in the waiting room and so is a little play area for kids.It felt to me that this was a patient-focused family practice as opposed to a cold, corporate dental mill trying to churn through as many patients as possible.I’ll definitely be coming back here for all my dental needs and I highly recommend.
Sundup SherpaSundup Sherpa
22:07 02 Feb 22
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are very welcoming and they provide an excellent experience every time I visit. I’ve only been here twice for annual checkups but would definitely consider and recommend this place to anyone who appreciates good customer experience and a very thoughtful approach to making sure that you feel at home. I have some procedures set up for later in the month and I must actually be the only person in the world actually looking forward to a dentist appointment.
Jayrockem GottemJayrockem Gottem
21:27 09 Nov 21
Great place wonderful staff they will be my go too dentist 100%
shawaf alishawaf ali
22:08 26 Aug 21
Very confident after leaving the office that my teeth are in greatttt hands. Above and beyond patient care. Very informative visits. A sense that they genuinely care about patient concerns. Added helpful guidelines I took home with me to reach dental hygiene goals before my next visits. Highly recommended you leave your old scary dentist ! 😁😁
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Queensboro Plaza Dental Care

Queensboro Plaza Dental Care