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Free Screening for Oral Cancer in April

Glenview holistic dentist Alla Aver, DDS, offers all patients a yearly ViziLite TBlue oral cancer screening which identifies every lesion for precancerous or cancerous cells. The process is painless, inexpensive and quick. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and Aver is offering all new patients a free ViziLite oral cancer screening with their cleaning and exam.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, roughly one person will die every hour of oral cancer in the United States this year; of those that are newly diagnosed, approximately 57 percent will not be alive in five years, and oral cancer has a higher death rate than more commonly known diseases such as cervical and skin cancers. Today, the human papilloma virus, specifically, HPV16, has contributed to the increased rate of oral cancer.

Lips are no longer the most common area where cancer develops. Doctors are now finding the base of the tongue at the back of the mouth, the back of the throat and the area around and on the tonsils to be the most common lesion areas. What is troublesome is that doctors are seeing this predominantly in young, non-smoking patients. “Oral cancer patients no longer fall into what has been known as high-risk categories such as age,” says Aver.

In its early stages, oral cancer can go unnoticed because it is often painless and without any physical symptoms. Doctors often do not find symptoms until it has spread to other areas, such as the lymph nodes of the neck. Early detection of abnormal cell lesions is very important for oral cancer. If a dentist determines an area to be suspicious and possibly dangerous, the only way to understand if it is a risk is to do a screening and/or biopsy of the area.


Location: 1300 Waukegan Rd., Glenview. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 847-998-5100 or visit GlenviewSmiles.com.