Oral Cancer Screening

Detect Oral Cancer Early

Our dental office in Surrey provides oral cancer screening as part of the new patient dental exam, or it can be scheduled as a separate appointment. Dr. Himmat Bajwa recommends oral cancer screening on a regular basis for all adult patients, especially if you have been identified as high risk for oral cancer.

The oral cancer screening tool that we utilize is called a VELScope (Visually Enhanced Lesion Scope). Supported by the Canadian Dental Association, the VELScope is the leading tool used for oral cancer detection. Safe, quick and painless, this hand-held device has been proven effective in detecting this disease.

VELScope uses a technology called “fluorescent visualization” which helps dental professionals identify and pinpoint the location of abnormal tissue in the mouth that otherwise might not be detected by the naked eye.

Oral Cancer: Who is at Risk?

It’s estimated that over 4,700 Canadians are diagnosed with oral cancer (mouth, lips, tongue and throat) each year. Potentially at least 80% of cases could have been detected with oral cancer screening by a dentist. When the cancer is not detected early enough, approximately 25-30% of cases are fatal.

Early detection of the disease can make all the difference when it comes to surviving oral cancer.

Oral cancer can easily go unnoticed in its early stages. Some tissue abnormalities cannot be seen by the naked eye. Oral cancer can also be painless and may continue to prosper without any symptoms—but there are precursor tissue changes that a trained doctor can identify.

The majority of oral cancers can be linked to tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption. Other influences may be poor oral hygiene, poor nutrition and/or chronic infection. Men are affected twice as often as women, particularly from middle-age onward.

VELScope: What to Expect

A blue light is shone into the mouth, allowing your dentist or dental hygienist to examine the soft tissues of the oral cavity. This special blue-spectrum light causes the tissues to ‘fluoresce’, meaning that they have the ability to emit a light of their own. Suspicious areas are seen as a darker colour from the healthy tissues in the mouth.

The oral cancer screening is completed in under five minutes. There is no rinse, dye or discomfort involved. If an abnormal screen occurs, your dentist may run another scan or schedule a biopsy to further test the tissue.

To schedule an oral cancer screening at our Surrey clinic, please make an appointment.