There are approximately 34000 estimated new cases of oral cancer every year and about half those diagnosed will not survive more than five years, but when diagnosed early, the survival rate can be as high as 80 to 90 percent. However, only 34 percent of oral cancers are found early.

In the early stages oral cancer is often painless and it may not be obvious. That is what makes it a very dangerous disease. Early indicators are: Red and /or white discoloration of the soft tissues of the mouth and any sores that does not heal within two weeks. Advanced signs of oral cancer are a sensation that something is stuck in your throat and a hoarseness which last for a long time. Numbness of the mouth and difficulty for moving the jaw, tongue or to swallow are also indications of oral cancer. For denture wearers a sore under a denture which even adjustment still not heal needs to be checked by a qualified professional.

The largest contributors to the development of oral and mouth cancer are the use of tobacco and alcohol. Not using tobacco is the single most important thing you can do to avoid oral cancers. Other risk factors include excessive unprotected exposure to sun which increases likelihood of lip cancers. Use at least SPF 30 sunblock on your lips. A diet that does not contain the protective nutrient of fruits and vegetables increases the risk of developing a variety of illnesses including oral cancer.

Oral cancer is more prevalent in men and thought it is due to life style issues. HPV viral infection is the most likely contributor to the oral cancer among non smokers. Although testing for the virus at the time of cervical examinations and PAP smears is becoming more common individuals carrying this virus are not likely to know that they have it, as there are no preventative of avoidance measure that will prevent sexual transmission of this virus. However, limiting the number of sexual partners decreases your risk of contracting the virus.

Avoiding the risk factors and early detection are the name of the game. Get an annual screening. Dentists by the use of new technology like VELscope which works by illuminating oral tissue with a beam of blue light set to a specific bandwidth can detect oral cancer tissues in early stages. 

A common practice after straightening of the teeth by the orthodontists is to have the wisdom teeth or impacted third molars removed. In Seattle cosmetic dentistry office of Dr. Samsavar we specialize in straightening the teeth using invisalign or invisible braces to line up crowded front teeth. The justification for the practice of removing wisdom teeth after orthodontics is to prevent crowding of the lower front teeth later on. One of the most basic indications for doing invisalign in our bellevue seattle dental office is to line up the crowded lower front teeth.  Latest studies suggest that there are no evidence to support this. In other words there are no reliable evidence one way or the other to recommend removal of the impacted third molars as long as they remain asymotomatic. There is also no evidence to support removal of the third molars in adolescents, when the aim is prevention of lower incisor crowding following orthodontic treatment. A common practice in our cosmetic dental office is to offer patients to wear a retainer after having cosmetic veneers placed on their teeth. As a Seattle cosmetic dentist we can guarantee that the laminates, veneers, cosmetic restoration, bondings and white veneeers placed on these front teeth are protected. This retainers also help patients in our Seattle, Bellevue cosmetic dental office to keep their teeth straight after porcelain veneers are placed.