Oral ID Light To Detect Oral Cancer

By Carrie Samora, RDH

Lexington Park Dentistry

. https://www.lexingtonparkdentist.com/

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Oral ID Light To Detect Oral Cancer

Over the past eight years, oral cancer has been the only cancer where the incidence rate has increased each year. It is one of the top 10 cancers with 132 new cases diagnosed each day in the United States. If detected in the early stages, the survival rate of oral cancer is 80-90%.

Unfortunately, most cases of oral cancer are not diagnosed until the later stages at which the death rate is 43% at five years from diagnosis. With better screening, vaccinations, and public education, medical and dental professionals are hoping to change that.

Most people think that smoking is the cause of oral cancer but there are actually two distinct pathways that most people come to oral cancer. The first is the use of tobacco and alcohol and a relatively new identified etiology, the HPV-16 virus. The human papilloma virus is a sexually transmitted infection that nearly 75% of the population has been exposed to. The virus has no signs or symptoms. It is also one of the causes of other cancers such as cervical cancer. While some of the strains will go away on their own in a matter of a couple of years, others can lie dormant for years or even decades. This puts everyone from approximately 17 years old and above at risk for multiple cancers.

One way to reduce the risk of HPV is a vaccination available to children ages 12 and above. We encourage everyone to discuss this with their child's doctor to see if this option is right for them. For adults who are no longer candidates for the vaccination, regular oral cancer screenings are imperative.

Patients should be regularly screened with the most up-to-date technology. The Oral ID light can be used at each cleaning and exam of patients starting at the age of 17. The Oral ID light uses fluorescence technology for visualization of oral cancer, pre-cancer, and other abnormal lesions. When the blue light shines on healthy oral tissue, it fluoresces green. However, when it shines on abnormal tissue, it appears dark due to lack of fluorescence. This allows your dentist to take the necessary steps to ensure the proper treatment and health of patients.

As anyone who has undergone treatment knows or knows someone who has, oral cancer can be very disfiguring. Now we can shine the light on oral cancer and provide our patients with the optimal and comprehensive care they deserve.