April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Visiting Gustafson and Morningstar Dentistry regularly will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy. Our office uses the ViziLite® oral cancer screening system, which utilizes the latest technology in the detection of oral cancer. An oral cancer exam using this technology enables the dentist to immediately see if there are any abnormal tissue cells in the mouth.

The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved because it is often detected so late. Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, Drs. Gustafson and Morningstar would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our patients that oral cancer exams should be done at least annually.

Drs. Gustafson and Morningstar are specifically trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health during your next appointment.

Dr. Gustafson and Dr. Morningstar support National Children’s Dental Health Month!

For the past 61 Februaries, the American Dental Association, or ADA, has sponsored National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Each year, over 35,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with oral cancer. With early detection, oral cancer has a survival rate of 80-90%, which is why it is so important the patients visit Dr. Gustafson and Dr. Morningstar for regular checkups.

It is also important to visit our office if you experience:
• A sore inside your mouth that doesn’t heal for two weeks
• A lump or thickening of your cheek
• A white or red patch on any part of your inner mouth or throat
• Chronic difficulty swallowing or chewing
• Difficulty moving your tongue or jaw
• Numbness inside your mouth
• Jaw swelling

Please schedule an appointment with Dr. Gustafson and Dr. Morningstar if you experience any of the above symptoms, or if it has been six months since your last checkup. As always, don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions!