Oral cancer screening can be included in a dental examination at Aster Dental Centre. If you have noticed a persistent sore, lump, red or white patch, numbness, or another change in your mouth, contact the clinic for an assessment.
The dentist reviews relevant history and examines the mouth and nearby tissues. If an area needs further attention, the team explains the appropriate next step, which may include monitoring or referral.
During an oral cancer screening at Aster Dental Centre, the dentist visually inspects the lips, gums, tongue, floor of the mouth, inside of the cheeks, the soft and hard palate, and the back of the throat. The screening also includes gentle palpation of the neck and jaw to check for enlarged or unusual lymph nodes.
The entire process takes 2 to 3 minutes as part of the regular exam. No dyes, lights, or additional instruments are needed for a standard visual screening. If an unusual area is found, the dentist will note its size, location, and appearance and determine whether a 2-week monitoring period is appropriate or whether an immediate referral is warranted.
The most common warning signs of oral cancer include sores or ulcers in the mouth that do not heal within 2 weeks, white or red patches on the tongue, gums, or inner cheeks, persistent sore throat or difficulty swallowing, numbness or tingling in the mouth, and lumps or thickening in the jaw, neck, or cheek.
Many of these symptoms have benign explanations and are not cancer. What matters is persistence. A canker sore that heals in 7 to 10 days is normal. A white patch that has been in the same spot for a month is not. At Aster Dental Centre, the dentist documents any suspicious findings at your check-up and follows up at the next appointment to confirm healing or refer appropriately.
The Canadian Dental Association recommends an oral cancer screening at every regular dental check-up, typically once or twice per year. At Aster Dental Centre, the screening is built into every exam at no additional cost, so patients who attend their check-ups are automatically screened.
Adults over 40, tobacco users, heavy alcohol consumers, and patients with a history of HPV have a higher lifetime risk of oral cancer and should not delay their regular check-ups. In our Edmonton practice, these patients are noted in the chart and the dentist pays particular attention to any changes at successive visits.
Yes. Oral cancer screening is included in every dental check-up at Aster Dental Centre at no additional charge. The dentist performs a visual and palpation screening as part of the standard exam. You do not need to request it separately. The screening takes 2 to 3 minutes and covers the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, throat, and jaw.
If you notice a sore, white or red patch, lump, or any change in your mouth that does not resolve within 2 weeks, contact Aster Dental Centre at (780) 540-9300 to schedule an earlier appointment. Do not wait for your next scheduled check-up. Most findings turn out to be benign, but any lesion that persists for more than 2 weeks warrants professional evaluation.
Adults over 40, current or former tobacco users, heavy alcohol consumers, patients with a history of HPV (human papillomavirus), and anyone with a personal or family history of oral cancer are at elevated risk. At Aster Dental Centre, these patients are identified in their chart and the dentist gives particular attention to oral tissue changes at every visit. More frequent check-ups may be recommended based on individual risk.
Yes. If the dentist identifies a lesion or tissue change that warrants further evaluation, Aster Dental Centre will provide a referral to an oral surgeon or specialist in Edmonton for a biopsy or further assessment. Most findings are benign and resolve on their own, but the practice refers all persistent or unusual findings promptly rather than taking a wait-and-see approach on anything that looks atypical.
Contact Aster Dental Centre to discuss oral cancer screening in Edmonton. The team can answer booking questions and arrange the next suitable appointment.
For patient education about what oral cancer screening may involve, when it may be considered, and questions to ask, visit the matching Treatment Guide.
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