Taking place under the tagline “Not Beyond Us”, World Cancer Day 2015 is about taking a proactive and positive approach to the fight against cancer. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Early detection is essential to improving treatment outcomes for oral cancer. At Spring Creek Dental we routinely do oral cancer screenings at our Fort Collins, CO office both for the health of our patients and to educate them and raise awareness for oral cancer and will refer you to a specialist if any irregularities are detected.

Do you know what to be concerned about in your own mouth? Our dental hygienists also advise patients on the hazards of tobacco use, a known risk factor for oral cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

POTENTIAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ORAL CANCER:

• An ulcer that does not heal
• Numbness in the tongue/mouth
• Dysphagia (difficulty chewing or swallowing)
• Difficulty moving tongue/speaking
• Unexplained bleeding in the mouth
• Raised lesions, crusts, or eroded areas in the mouth
• Unexplained neck lump
• Persistent red and/or white patches in the mouth
• Early detection and screening can reduce the risk of oral cancer. Schedule a dental exam and oral screening with Spring Creek Dental today by calling (970) 482-8883.

For more information about National Cancer Prevention Day, February 4th, visit LessCancer.org.