MARIETTA, Georgia--Dr. Clifford Morton of Morton General and Implant Dentistry has announced the use of the VELscope enhanced oral assessment tool to aid in the early detection of oral cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be more than 40,000 new cases of oral cancer in the United States in 2012. Five year relative survival rates, based on the stage of the cancer, range from 61% to 82%.
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Dr. Morton says he has seen an increase of 50% in the disease. Although once thought of as a disease of older generations, oral cancer is becoming more common in younger people due to the spread of the Human
papillomavirus.
"Most oral diseases are easily observed and treated with a root canal or dental implant, but the main reason the death rate is so high with oral cancer is because it is often discovered much too late," said Dr. Morton.
"As a dentist who is concerned about promoting my patients' overall health, I wanted to use the latest technology to help diagnose oral cancer earlier. That's why we're using the VELscope in our regular oral screening process."
The practice combines VELscope technology with the traditional manual and visual inspections for oral cancer. VELscope is a handheld device that emits a harmless blue light that stimulates a patient's mouth to make natural fluorophores.
Under this light, a dentist can observe abnormalities that might not otherwise be visible to the naked eye. Although oral cancer usually affects the tongue and the lips, it may also be present in a patient's cheek lining, roof or floor of the mouth, or in the gums, which can make visual detection difficult.
Factors that contribute to oral cancer include smoking, heavy alcohol use, chronic irritation, HPV infection, and gum disease. Symptoms may include a sore, lump, or ulcer in the mouth; red or white patches; difficulty chewing, swallowing, or talking; swollen lymph nodes, and weight loss. If any of these symptoms are observed, an immediate
appointment with a professional health-care provider is recommended.
Dr. Morton routinely looks for signs of gum disease with patients.
"We're focused on promoting oral health and preventing disease," said Dr. Morton. "Most patients don't realize how oral health is connected to overall health. In addition to these oral cancer screenings, we look for many other health conditions that show up in the mouth first. We want to give our patients the best chance to fight disease before it starts."
Morton General and Implant Dentistry is a full-service dental practice. In addition to helping keep patients free of gum disease, the practice also provides cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, general and family dentistry and sedation dentistry.
For more information, visit www.mortonimplantdentistmarietta.com.
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