Beyond the Teeth: Comprehensive Oral and Systemic Health Screening
When you come into the dental office for an examination, you might assume that the focus is on your teeth. That’s often correct—but a thorough dental exam includes a number of other parts of the oral and facial anatomy. In fact, when it comes to detecting certain oral or systemic (whole-body) diseases, a thorough dental exam may be your first line of defense. Schaefer Dental Group screens more than just your teeth in Lansing, Michigan.
Areas examined include those around and inside the mouth (such as the lips, gums, hard and soft palate, and the tongue) as well as outside the mouth (the skin, muscles and glands in the neck, and the temporomandibular joint).
How Diseases in the Mouth are Discovered
Most of the time, detection begins with asking about any changes or symptoms you may be experiencing. Your face, mouth, and neck will then be visually inspected, and certain areas may be palpated (gently touched or pressed with fingers) or probed. If needed, additional tests or diagnostic imaging may be used to aid in diagnosis.
When a Biopsy Is Needed
Occasionally, an abnormality such as a lesion (an unusual localized change in your tissues) is found that needs to be examined further. Although the majority of oral lesions are benign, if there is any possibility that the growth could be cancerous or pre-cancerous, a biopsy will likely be performed.
- This involves removing a part of the suspicious area and sending the tissue sample to a pathologist for microscopic inspection.
- The procedure typically requires only local anesthesia and is often done in the office.
- The only way to definitively rule out cancer is through a laboratory pathology report.
Some Oral Diseases We Screen For
Oral cancer is the most significant disease to look for, as early detection is proven to increase the survival rate. However, a large majority of unusual growths are found to be benign. Other oral diseases screened for include:
- Fibroma: A thickened mass that may feel like a lump in the lining of the mouth.
- Leukoplakia: A condition causing white patches to form inside the mouth; often biopsied as lesions may be precancerous.
- Lichen Planus: An inflammatory disease that sometimes causes discomfort.
- Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid: An autoimmune disease that may cause oral lesions.
- “Pregnancy Tumors”: Benign red swellings on gum tissue of pregnant women due to hormonal changes.
In addition, some systemic diseases (such as diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and heart disease) may produce effects that can be observed in the mouth. We are always on the lookout for signs of these potentially serious conditions.