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Posted on 6/15/2019 by Ankur Johri |
 As you get older, your body changes. The older you are, the higher the risk is for many different medical conditions. One condition where the risk is higher as you get older is oral cancer. That is why people need to consider age when they start to think about oral cancer screenings. They need to think about what the right age is to start regular oral cancer screenings.The Different Risk Factors Different people face different risks when it comes to their chances of oral cancer. Some of the major risk factors include genetics. This is something that you cannot control, but will help determine your need for oral cancer screening. When it comes to factors you can control, tobacco use is at the top of the list. Smoking is a risk factor, but people who use smokeless tobacco products are at an even higher risk. In addition to tobacco, other risk factors include excessive alcohol use, overexposure to sun, STDs and a weakened immune system. There is No Set Age While there are recommendations for what age to get screened for breast cancer or colon cancer, there is no set age for oral cancer. Young children are not at a high risk, but that does not mean that they should not get any screening for possible signs of oral cancer. Oral cancer screening is something that can occur during the annual visits to our office. If a person has one or more of the risk factors, they may want to get a more thorough screening at least once a year. The screening is not an invasive procedure and there is no reason not to get it done no matter how young or old you are. Contact our office to schedule an appointment to learn more about this or any other oral health issue. |
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