it could save your life

I recently visited my dentist to have a checkup and cleaning. At the end of my cleaning and

exam, he performed an oral cancer screening with a device called a Velscope. The Velscope

projects a blue light on the soft tissues of your mouth and tongue and assists the dentist in

finding oral abnormalities. Discovering soft tissue abnormalities is particularly important

in the fight against oral cancer. It only took two minutes and I didn`t feel a thing. I felt

better knowing I had been screened for oral cancer.

Someone dies from oral cancer every hour of every day in the United States alone, according

to The Oral Cancer Foundation. More than 300,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every

year, worldwide. This serious disease, which pertains to the mouth, lips or throat, is often

highly curable if diagnosed and treated in the early stages.

Oral cancers usually involve the tongue, lips, floor of the mouth, soft palate, tonsils,

salivary glands or back of the throat. In the United States, more than 90 percent of oral

cancer occurs in individuals older than 45, with men more likely than women to develop it.

The primary risk factors for oral cancers in this country are tobacco and alcohol use, and

for lip cancer, exposure to the sun.

Many older adults do not visit their dentist every year, which puts them at a higher risk for

oral cancer. Many have dentures and feel they do not need a dental visit, but many, many more

just can not afford dental care.

Broomfield Senior Services has partnered with Dr. Robert McBride from McBride Family Dental

in Broomfield to offer free oral cancer screenings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. McBride,

along with two dental hygienists, will do a quick exam of your mouth and let you know if you

need to follow up with your dentist.

In its early stages, oral cancer can go unnoticed. Oral cancer could look like a common

ulcer, cold sore or a discoloration of tissue. Fortunately, your dentist can see or feel if a

lesion looks cancerous. Although the number of deaths each year from oral cancer is

astounding, it is highly curable if diagnosed early.