Oral Cancer Awareness Month

April is oral cancer awareness month. Over 30,000 cases of some form of oral or head and neck cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2012 resulting in more than 8,000 deaths. Oral cancer is now the 6th most common cancer that is often detected late in development. The dental community is making a concerted effort to increase  awareness of oral cancer since public awareness of the disease remains very low. Although oral cancer has a multifaceted etiology, the major risk factors are tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption. Tobacco use remains the single most important and preventable cause of this disease. Since early warning signs that alert health professional to presence of disease are often not visible, early detection is difficult. At New Image Dentistry, we have the latest technology in oral cancer screening with the VELscope Vx. The VELscope Vx is the most powerful tool available for assisting in the discovery of oral abnormalities. A simple 2 minute test can alert New Image Dentistry of any tissue abnormalities that may require further evaluation. For more information, go to oralcancerfoundation.org.