Brace Yourself Against Oral Cancer

Dr. Carlile will make “blue light” technology that detects oral cancer part of your routine dental visit at A Family Dentist.

Dr. Dennis J. Carlile and staff at A Family Dentist have provided dental services in Broken Arrow for more than 20 years. Dr. Carlile eagerly shares ­information he has researched and the findings gathered from other doctors, researchers, trade ­publications, and manufacturers. He and his staff are openly ­grateful to Broken Arrow and surrounding communities for their trust and confidence in his practice.

Oral cancer can be ­devastating, even deadly, and can go unnoticed until it progresses to advanced stages of ­development. “Twenty-five percent of all detected oral cancer victims are non-tobacco users, non-drinkers, and persons who have no other lifestyle risk factors,” says Dr. Carlile. “Thirty-seven thousand Americans will be diagnosed with oral/pharyngeal cancer in 2011, and it will cause more than 8,000 deaths by the end of the year.”

As most of us already know, early detection and diagnosis is critical to successfully treating cancer. If left undetected, oral cancer can be life threatening. Recently on “The Dr. Oz Show,” Dr. Oz discussed the rise of oral cancer and featured a new product to assist in its early detection. He said that dentists are the first line of defense against oral ­cancer, and they should make routine inspections for abnormalities each time they see a patient. This is especially important for anyone considered to be in the high-risk group – those who use or have used tobacco or who have abused alcohol.

Dr. Carlile has researched several new products on the ­market that aid in the early detection of oral cancer. He was most impressed with a “blue light” instrument designated the VELscope® Vx, recently released by LED Dental Inc. “I believe the VELscope is the most powerful tool available for ­assisting in the discovery of oral abnormalities,” says Dr. Carlile. “We have purchased the ­instrument and are currently in the process of training personnel to its proper use.”

The VELscope detects early changes in cells in the mouth that have been affected by trauma or disease, many of which are not visible to the unassisted eye. Its blue spectrum light makes soft healthy tissues fluoresce in a light green color while abnormalities appear as black. With the instrument’s assistance in early detection, many oral cancers can be caught before they have time to spread. Potentially, this is a system that can save lives through less invasive and more effective treatment.

Dr. Carlile recommends ­regular self-examinations. Take a look at the inside of your mouth and check your tongue (top and bottom), gums, the roof, floor, and back of your mouth, and the inside cheek area. If you notice any symptoms including a lump in the throat, thickening or lumps in the lining of your mouth, tongue numbness, red or white lesions, or dark blue or black spots on the tongue, contact your dentist immediately.

Oral cancer’s associated death rate is particularly high, not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due rather to the cancer being routinely ­discovered late in its ­development, after it has had the chance to metastasize to another areas, often the lymph nodes of the neck.

Dr. Carlile and A Family Dentist will be making oral exams with leading-edge “blue light” technology part of your routine visit.

 

For more information, contact

A Family Dentist

901 W. Kenosha

Broken Arrow, OK 74012

(918) 258-8658

www.yourbrokenarrowdentist.com