{"id":1219,"date":"2023-04-21T15:24:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T15:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lehighvalleydentalhealth.com\/blog\/?p=1219"},"modified":"2023-05-21T15:27:45","modified_gmt":"2023-05-21T15:27:45","slug":"benefits-of-regular-oral-cancer-screenings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lehighvalleydentalhealth.com\/blog\/benefits-of-regular-oral-cancer-screenings\/","title":{"rendered":"April Is Oral Cancer Awareness Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Model<\/a>Did you know 54,000 Americans are diagnosed annually with oral cancer? It claims the lives of 12,000 people every year. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, dedicated to increasing public education about the importance of having regular screenings. Contrary to common rumors, you don’t have to be a smoker to be at risk. Here’s why you shouldn’t skip your next dental checkup<\/a> to benefit from an oral cancer screening.<\/p>\n

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What are the Signs of Oral Cancer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oral cancer is classified as those affecting the mouth, neck, and head, but brain cancer is in a separate category. Although it is easy to detect, it’s often not found until it has reached advanced stages. Once it has metastasized and spread to other areas of the body, it becomes more difficult to treat. As a result, there is only a 68% 5-year survival rate, which is attributed to late detection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The early signs of oral cancer can be subtle and easy to overlook. It’s important to monitor your mouth for any changes, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n