At Beacon Family Dentistry, in Jacksonville, FL, we are doing our part to raise awareness about oral cancer. If you observe any of the following signs that could be the beginning of a cancerous growth, call us for an oral cancer screening:

• Reddish patches or whitish patches in the mouth
• A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily
• A rough spot, lump or thickening on the skin lining the inside of the mouth
• Chronic sore throat or hoarseness
• Difficulty in chewing or swallowing
• Numbness in the tongue or other part of the mouth
• Swelling of the jaw
• Unexplained pain facial or oral pain, although pain is not often associated with oral cancer

Please share this information and encourage your friends and family to have regular oral cancer screenings. Although most mouth and throat cancers have been associated with smoking and chewing tobacco, more than 25 percent of all oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and who only drink alcohol occasionally. The fastest growing segment of oral cancer patients is young, otherwise healthy, nonsmoking individuals due to the connection between oral cancer and the HPV virus.

When you come for a new patient exam or your regular dental visits, Dr. Tapnio and our hygienist will examine you for oral cancer, but you can also be proactive by examining your own mouth with a hand mirror every month.