10 Shocking Diseases You Didn’t Realize Your Dentist Could Spot

Oral cancer

Oral cancer is the sixth most-common cancer in America, with 30,000 new cases reported every year. Regular dental visits can help catch signs of it in its earliest stages, when survival rates are more than 80 percent.

Oral cancer shows up as white and red lesions, usually on the tongue, the floor of the mouth, and the soft palate tissues in the back of the tongue, according to Delta Dental. Early on, the lesions are usually painless and tough for patients to spot themselves.

Ask your dentist to perform an oral cancer screening during checkups. It’s particularly important if you have risk factors for the disease, including smoking, heavy alcohol use, and exposure to the HPV (the same virus that causes cervical cancer).