Parkside Dental Care - Newmarket

Oral Cancer Screening in Newmarket

Early cancer detection for the mouth, lips, tongue or throat. Learn the signs and understand your risks.
Call 289-210-5030

The signs and symptoms of oral cancer

Oral cancer is characterized from abnormal cell growth in the mouth, lips, tongue or throat. With early detection, oral cancers have a high rate of successful treatment. The people at the greatest risk for oral cancers are those over the age of 45 but regardless of your age, you should opt for oral cancer screening if you’ve experienced any of the following symptoms:

  • Discoloured patches in your mouth or on your lips including white or dark red in colour.
  • Unfamiliar lumps or unusual changes in texture.
  • Canker sores that won’t heal, numb patches or persistent bleeding.
  • Unusual feeling tongue, change in sense of taste and difficulty swallowing.

The risk factors for oral cancer

There are several behaviours and conditions that are associated with a higher risk of oral cancer. These include:

  • Smoking or consuming tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco
  • Heavy or moderately heavy consumption of alcohol (especially combined with tobacco)
  • Possibility of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of the mouth.
  • Excessive exposure to the sun; a lifestyle that includes lots of sun exposure.
  • A poor diet or poor eating habits.
  • Family history of oral cancer.
  • Oral cancer is more common in men than in women.
  • A history of leukoplakia (a thick, whitish-colour patch that develops inside the mouth)

Prevention, detection and treatment of oral cancer

Treatment will be planned on a case by case basis and will heavily depend on the severity, type and location of the suspected cancer.

Spotting early signs of cancer

The goal of an oral cancer screening is the early detection of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. During the exam, your dentist will look over the inside of your mouth and under your tongue for red or white patches or suspicious sores. Your dentist will also feel the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or odd textures and may also feel the outside of your throat and neck for lumps.

Diagnosis and treatment

If signs of cancer are detected during your oral screening you may be asked to undergo additional testing such as a biopsy (where a small piece of the suspicious tissue is removed for lab examination) or imaging tests like Xrays, ultrasounds, CT scans or an MRI. To remove confirmed tumours, surgery or chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be necessary.

Prevention of oral cancer

You can take steps now to help prevent oral cancer later. To help reduce your risk of oral cancer see your dentist regularly for routine exams, stop using tobacco products and drink responsibly, be mindful of your exposure to direct sunlight and use U/V protective lip balms, eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and veggies and during your routine brushing and flossing rituals, remember to check your mouth for signs or symptoms so that you can report any concerns to your dentist.

Contact us today

to schedule an initial consultation & exam.

Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.

Parkside Dental Care - Newmarket

Winner Of The Three Best Rated Award

Dr. Chiang is the winner of the 3 Best Rated award for Best Dentists in Newmarket.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any of the risk factors for oral cancer it’s a good idea to ask for an oral cancer screening at your regular dental exam. If you have discovered an unusually coloured or textured patch in your mouth or a lump or suspicious sore you’re encouraged to schedule an appointment to get it checked out.
Your dentist will examine your lips and the inside of your mouth including your cheeks, gums and all sides of your tongue. They will also carefully feel around for any lumps or unusual textures. The dentist may also feel your face, jaw, throat and neck for unusual lumps or tenderness.
Wash your hands with warm soapy water. In front of your bathroom mirror, you’ll want to examine the roof of your mouth, your lips, tongue and gums. Pull your top lip up and bottom lip down to see behind them. You may use a piece of gauze or a cotton pad to help you grip your tongue to check the sides and underside. Do your best to look at your gums, and use your fingers to feel the insides of your mouth. You’re looking and feeling for colour changes, lumps and bumps, unusual textures or tenderness. Let your dentist know if you have any sores that have not healed after two weeks.
Small, usually painless, flat patches that may appear red, white, gray or yellow with red edges. These small patches can affect any area of the mouth including the lips, gums, cheeks, tongue and the roof of the mouth. As a good rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to have anything that looks or feels unusual checked out by your doctor or dentist.

What Our Patients are Saying

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    Google verified patient reviews

    Nicole Payne
    2 weeks ago
    I have always had such an amazing experience at Parkside Dental Care, especially with Monika! She's an incredible dental hygienist who makes me and my family feel comfortable and at ease throughout our visits. She is super friendly, gentle, and thorough with her work. The entire staff at Parkside Dental Care, including the reception team is always welcoming and professional. I highly recommend Monika and Parkside Dental Care! 😄🦷
    More
    Na Li
    1 month ago
    Absolutely thrilled with the dental cleaning service! From the moment I walked in, the staff made me feel comfortable and at ease. The hygienist, Linda, was thorough yet gentle, and my teeth feel incredibly clean. The office is modern and clean, and they take all necessary precautions for safety. I highly recommend this dental practice for anyone in need of a professional and friendly cleaning.
    More
    Yuandong Qin
    1 month ago
    This is an excellent dental clinic I highly recommend you to visit, especially for people who speak Mandarin (普通话) like us. We recently moved from Ottawa to greater Toronto area, and we were eager to find a nice nearby dental clinic to resume dental treatment/hygiene which was severely disrupted by pandemic in past four years. Occasionally we heard of this dental clinic which is not far from our new home, we planned to give a try. Pleasantly surprised this is the clinic we are looking for, from the doctors to the receptionist everybody is professional and caring. After a number of visits, we decided to transfer our dental documents from the previous dental clinic to here. If you are looking for hygienist/doctors who speak Mandarin, then Ms. June, Dr.Chiang and Dr.Wong are my recommendation, they are super nice.
    More
    Shingi
    1 month ago
    Location is great and parking was easy & FREE!! My kids absolutely loved their visit. The staff made the process super fun and smooth for them. Truly the best dentist visit they've ever had. I highly recommend this place.
    More
    Recent appointment went very well as always. Linda the hygienist was very professional, knowledgeable and let you know what she was doing at every step. Made to feel very comfortable given my aversion to dentist's appointments.
    More
    Nicole Payne
    2 weeks ago
    I have always had such an amazing experience at Parkside Dental Care, especially with Monika! She's an incredible dental hygienist who makes me and my family feel comfortable and at ease throughout our visits. She is super friendly, gentle, and thorough with her work. The entire staff at Parkside Dental Care, including the reception team is always welcoming and professional. I highly recommend Monika and Parkside Dental Care! 😄🦷
    More
    Na Li
    1 month ago
    Absolutely thrilled with the dental cleaning service! From the moment I walked in, the staff made me feel comfortable and at ease. The hygienist, Linda, was thorough yet gentle, and my teeth feel incredibly clean. The office is modern and clean, and they take all necessary precautions for safety. I highly recommend this dental practice for anyone in need of a professional and friendly cleaning.
    More
    Yuandong Qin
    1 month ago
    This is an excellent dental clinic I highly recommend you to visit, especially for people who speak Mandarin (普通话) like us. We recently moved from Ottawa to greater Toronto area, and we were eager to find a nice nearby dental clinic to resume dental treatment/hygiene which was severely disrupted by pandemic in past four years. Occasionally we heard of this dental clinic which is not far from our new home, we planned to give a try. Pleasantly surprised this is the clinic we are looking for, from the doctors to the receptionist everybody is professional and caring. After a number of visits, we decided to transfer our dental documents from the previous dental clinic to here. If you are looking for hygienist/doctors who speak Mandarin, then Ms. June, Dr.Chiang and Dr.Wong are my recommendation, they are super nice.
    More
    Shingi
    1 month ago
    Location is great and parking was easy & FREE!! My kids absolutely loved their visit. The staff made the process super fun and smooth for them. Truly the best dentist visit they've ever had. I highly recommend this place.
    More
    Recent appointment went very well as always. Linda the hygienist was very professional, knowledgeable and let you know what she was doing at every step. Made to feel very comfortable given my aversion to dentist's appointments.
    More
      Parkside Dental Care - Newmarket

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      Call 289-210-5030