Chemo and Your Smile

Any cancer is life-altering, and being sure we are providing the most support we can for our patients, Dr. Judy Strutz 2010 began taking classes at UCL to learn more about Maxillo-Facial Prosthodontics. She wants to be sure that she helps her patients live their best lives. One of the ways that she does that is by providing a thorough cancer exam. The sooner oral cancer is found and treated, the more available treatment options. 

While evaluating the patient's mouth since her classes, she has been able to advance her skills and ensure that she is giving "hope to the hopeless." Dr. Judy Strutz and her team work to fully understand the unique situation a patient being treated for cancer or oral cancer is in. This way, they can provide the best treatment options and support. 

If you are worried that you might have oral cancer or to schedule a screening today, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Have You Had An Oral Cancer Screening?

Oral cancer can impact any part of the mouth. Your tongue, lips, cheeks or gums. There are several different signs and symptoms of cancer in your mouth. This includes a lump or thickening in the cheek, a sore throat or a sore that does not go away with time. The problem with oral cancer is that most people do not catch it until it is in the later stages.

An oral cancer screening can help to identify, find and treat oral cancer faster in order for you to be able to move on with the other things that are important in your life. Oral cancer is also twice as common in men as in women. Tobacco use can increase the risk of oral cancer.  An oral cancer screening just consists of the dentist checking the inside of your mouth looking for any lesions or unusual bumps in the mouth.

The dentist will most likely put one finger in your mouth, under your tongue and a couple of fingers on the skin under your chin. This exam may be able to find problems sooner and help you take care of the problem. For more information about oral cancer, screeners contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Did You know, Oral Cancer Doesn’t Discriminate?

It can seem that if you are not a smoker, or if you do not vape or inhale other carcinogens that you would not be impacted by oral cancer. The unfortunate part is that this is not true and often times, people wait until it is too late to get a questionable lump in their mouth checked out. Oral cancer is one of the highest rates of cancers that are not cured, because often times people wait until it is in the advanced stage.

An oral cancer screening is something you should schedule and have done on a regular basis. It can mean the difference between your health and a significant dental problem, or even more severe consequences. An oral cancer screening can be completed at your regular routine dental check-up, or if you have concerns. more often.

Dr. Strutz and her team conduct a thorough oral health screening in order to ensure that you have peace of mind, but the first step is you scheduling the appointment. Your oral cancer screening will include looking at the tongue, cheeks, lip, roof of your mouth and the inside of your cheeks.

For more information about oral cancer, or to schedule your screening today, contact Dr. Strutz and her team.

When To Get Checked For Oral Cancer

You may think that you are not a smoker and therefore you do not need to get checked for oral cancer, or you may believe that because you have never chewed tobacco or consumed other nicotine products that it cannot happen to you. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and it is critically important that you get an oral health screening on a regular basis.  Oral cancer can happen to anyone. Oral health screenings are vital to the health of your mouth and when oral cancer is caught early, you are more likely to survive.

When you have your scheduled six-month hygiene appointment, it is important that the dentist take a look around your mouth for any unusual looking sores and other signs of oral cancer. They will check your mouth, lips, gums and tongue in order to make sure that there is nothing unusual that could be a sign of cancer.

Dr. Judy Strutz and her team can also help with your care if you do have to have treatment for oral cancer. For more information about oral health screenings, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

10 Signs & Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can be a dangerous cancer that can spread quickly if not taken care of. By getting an oral cancer screening you can avoid this type of cancer from getting out of control and the sooner you get treatment, the more likely you are to survive. Here are 10 signs and symptoms to watch out for:

1.     Loose teeth for no reason

2.     Swelling inside the gum or the lining of the tongue

3.     Sores in the mouth that take a long time to heal or do not heal

4.     Hoarseness without clearing up

5.     A lump or mass on the neck

6.     Swelling of the jaw, not explained by other dental problems

7.     A lump in the cheek

8.     A red patch on the gums, tongue or cheek

9.     The loosening of the teeth around a spot that is sore

10.  Difficulty chewing or swallowing

Don’t waste time with wondering if you have oral cancer, get peace of mind with help from Dr. Strutz and her team.

Have You Scheduled Your Oral Caner Screening?

Oral cancer will impact roughly 50,000 individuals this year and the Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that only roughly 50% of those individuals will live past 5 years. The problem with oral cancer is not how aggressive it is, but how long it takes for individuals to be diagnosed with this type of cancer. Many patients may notice a growth or anything else and if they do not visit their dentist on a regular basis, are not being checked.

Dr. Judy Strutz and her team recommend scheduling your oral cancer screening with the team today in order to catch this as early as possible. One of the reasons the Oral Cancer Foundation suggests that oral cancer death rates are so high is because of the lack of people getting checked for oral cancer before it has spread.

Dr. Judy Strutz and her team have always provided a comprehensive oral screening exam in order to ensure patients have the best possible chance of getting treatment early on. With some extra schooling that Dr. Strutz did, she has also increased her understanding of how to support patients who are going through treatment of oral cancer and how to help patients regain a, “new normal,” after treatment. No matter which stage you are in, Dr. Strutz and her team are the place to start in order to ensure you are the healthiest you can be. Contact their office today and schedule an oral cancer screening.