February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. The National Children’s Dental Health Month is a…
The Signs of Oral Cancer Your Cooper Family Dentist is Looking For
When you come in and see a Cooper Family dentist for an exam, part of what you are getting is a screening for oral cancer. It may not seem obvious to you, but it is something that is done each time we see you for a full examination. We are looking for anything out of the ordinary that could be caused by early cancer cells. Here are a few things our dentists look for when you get your exam.
Early Signs of Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is not just cancer inside your mouth. It can include anything directly connected to your mouth as well. You could have issues on your cheeks, in your sinuses, down your neck or throat, or even in the roof of your mouth. This is why the dentist typically feels your jaw and down your neck a bit.
During your exam, your Cooper Family dentist will look in and around your mouth. We are looking for discolorations in the tissues around the mouth. We are also looking for sores in those tissues. When we find a sore that is struggling to heal, or bleeds very easily, we want to keep an eye on it. It should heal significantly, despite being around your mouth, in around two weeks. If it hasn’t healed at that point, we are going to want to take a deeper look.
We are also going to look for tissue that has changed in your mouth. This can happen slowly, which is why we ask that you make sure to come in every six months, so we can see changes as they happen. If an area of tissue has gotten thicker, bumpier, or changed shape slightly, it could point to a growth within your mouth that we would need to investigate.
Ear or sinus pain is something we want to know about, as it can also point to signs of early cancer growths. Voice changes or a chronic sore throat can also be signs that something is going on that needs more attention.
What may seem like no big deal to you, may be a big red flag to one of our Cooper Family dentists. Give us a call today if you haven’t been here in the last six months, so we can help keep an eye on your overall oral health. We are ready and willing to help!
Dr. Jordan Cooper is from Jacksonville, AR. His father is Dr. James Cooper, a Jonesboro, AR native and practicing dentist of 39 years and his mother, Tracy Cooper, is a dental hygienist from Little Rock. Dr. Cooper graduated high school from Central Arkansas Christian, after which he entered at the University of Arkansas as a Chancellor’s Scholar in 1998.
Dr. David Cole is a graduate from the University of Arkansas, receiving his degree in 2016, and is a huge Razorback fan! He then went to dental school at the University of Tennessee where he received his D.D.S. in 2021. He looks forward to getting to know the Central Arkansas area, and serving his community!
Dr. Rasmussen is a Hot Springs native who graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in 2017 (Go Bears). After receiving his D.D.S from The University of Tennessee in 2021, he is looking forward to serving the central Arkansas community and the wonderful people who live here.
Dr. James Cooper was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He studied at the University of New Mexico and graduated from dental school from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. After 2 years of dental experience with the Army, Dr. Cooper moved to Jacksonville in 1973 to practice dentistry.