Regular dental visits do more than keep your teeth clean—they also give your dentist an opportunity to monitor your overall oral health. During routine exams, dentists often perform oral cancer screenings to look for unusual changes in the mouth, including sores, discoloration, lumps, or other signs that may require further evaluation.
Like many cancers, oral cancer is classified into different stages based on factors such as the size of the tumor, whether it has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes, and whether it has reached other areas of the body. Understanding these stages can help you recognize why early detection and routine screenings are so important.
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