ORAL CANCER AWARENESS.
In last week’s Every Friday, Patient Outreach talked about Stress Awareness Month. April is also Oral Cancer Awareness Month.
Oral cancer is the 13th most common cancer, affecting twice as many men as woman. Common causes include exposure to the HPV virus (70% of oral cancer cases), smoking, heavy alcohol use, and family history.
The mortality rate for oral cancer is particularly high because it is typically painless until late stages. However, your dentist can look for symptoms, which underscores the importance of regular checkups every six months. The good news is that with early detection, the five-year survival rate is 84%.
FourPoints Health offers dental services in Cedar City and Richfield, including cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures, and extractions on a sliding-fee scale. To learn more, click here.