“More than 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year,” says the website of the Oral Cancer Foundation. “It will cause over 8,000 deaths.”
Tannaz Goodjohn helps to fight it. A graduate of UCLA’s dental school, she is the founder of Dental Boutique, a dental practice with an emphasis in aesthetic, reconstructive and implant dentistry. Beverly Hills Times recently contacted her about oral cancer.
Beverly Hills Times: Who is at risk for oral cancer?
Dr. Goodjohn: Essentially everyone is!
The disease is growing fast. In recent years, the American Cancer Society has estimated a 5.5% annual increase in new cases of oral cancer and a 1.5% increase in deaths associated with it.
BHT: How would I know if I’ll get it?
Dr. Goodjohn: Are you sexually active? The human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted infection prevalent in young adults, plays a role in more than 20% of oral cancer cases.
Patients age 40 and up with lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol consumption and/or tobacco use and patients with a family history of oral cancer are at highest risk for developing the disease.
You may not even know that you have oral cancer. Twenty-five percent of oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke or have any other lifestyle risk factors.
BHT: How can I find out if I’ve got it?
Dr. Goodjohn: At my office, we make it our standard of care to perform a regular visual oral examination, followed by a Vizilite Plus screening. The Vizilite Plus technology identifies cancerous and precancerous abnormalities. It takes minutes to do, and no pain is involved. That’s it! Recommended by the American Cancer Society, this screening helps detect oral cancer early.
I’m currently offering two specials to make it even easier: An Oral Exam, Healthy mouth cleaning and full mouth radiographs (in the absence of gum disease) for $99, and the Oral Cancer Screening using ViziLite Plus for $49.
And early detection is key. Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases if caught early. More than 90% of treatments for oral cancer are successful. To say it quite simply, early detection can save your life!
