Every year, approximately 54,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with oral cancer, and for just under 10,000 of those people, this disease will be fatal. However, oral cancer is often preventable and can be easily and successfully treated if it is detected in its initial stages. This can be difficult to do for the non-professional, since many of the symptoms of this disease can be very similar to many minor, less threatening oral and general health problems. Because of this, we recommend visiting our dentists and team for regular oral cancer screenings.
At Uptown Dentistry, our office features the VELscope® oral cancer screening system in Houston, Texas. This system uses a special blue light to stimulate the molecules inside the oral tissues. This causes these molecules to emit different shades of light. The VELscope system blocks the blue light, allowing Dr. Nicki Tajalli to identify potential oral health issues. We may recommend an oral biopsy to determine the exact nature of the problem and help you plan the next step in your treatment. We will make these screenings a part of your routine checkup, but you should contact our office at 713-963-9191 to schedule a visit any time you notice anything unusual with your oral health or the soft tissues of your mouth.