The head and neck exam has become the gold standard of dental care in light of the increase in cancers of this area of the body in recent years,and the window into overall health that it provides.The combined Intraoral/Extraoral exam is the recommended practice for dental clinicians today,as a part of regular dental checkups.Dentists have been enlisted to serve on the frontlines of cancer detection by means of this screening procedure.The exam only takes about five minutes.*
The thorough head and neck exam consists of systematic visual inspection and palpation of structures of the head and neck region.It should be a routine part of every patient's dental care.Some of the main features of the screening are evaluation of the patient's symmetry and profile;cutaneous area;lips;lymph nodes;salivary glands;thyroid gland;temporomandibular joint;oropharynx;tonsillar crypt;soft palate and uvula;hard palate;tongue;and gingiva.*
According to Jaisri Thoppay,DDS,Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine and Orafacial Pain at the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Dentistry's Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery:
Anyone can get oral cancer and everyone should have periodic oral,head and neck cancer screening.Preventative screening facilitates early detection.Screening tests are given when one does not have any cancer symptoms.*
About 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancer this year.Just slightly more than half of them will still be alive in five years.*
Besides oral,head and neck cancer,the exam facilitates early detection of skin cancers of this high risk area of the body and even autoimmune disorders.
No comments:
Post a Comment