Oral Cancer Screenings

The Colchester Dental Group is proud to announce the incorporation of a new advanced method for early detection of oral cancer. The Velscope is recommended for all patients aged 14 and above. Cuts that don’t heal, abnormal red or white spots, lumps and bumps are some of the early signs of pre-cancerous conditions. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is another one of the problems we look for since it has now become a very widespread disease and often leads to oral cancer. Discovering HPV or oral cancers at an early stage allows for better and more effective treatment.

The Velscope is a special light which is used to examine the tissues in the mouth to visualize abnormal changes. Although we certainly hope not to find any problems, if no-one looks, no-one will find anything. We have all heard of the oral cancer problems of Michael Douglas and Curt Schilling. Both of those men could have benefited from and probably required less invasive treatments if their diseases had been discovered earlier. The use of the Velscope gives dentists a chance to help save lives and minimize problems.

We will recommend this pre-cancer screening once a year unless you have higher risk factors like smoking, a history of cancer, or certain auto-immune diseases.