Biopsies
At Keystone Dentistry, we strive to provide the best dental care in the Indianapolis area. The biggest part of being the best is looking out for our patients well being and health. At each and every visit, but most especially at your cleaning appointments, we make it a point to check all the areas in and surrounding your mouth and throat for anything unusual or suspicious to us.
The inside of the mouth is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in color. Any alteration in this appearance could be a warning sign for a pathological process commonly known as tumors or cancers. The most serious of these is oral cancer. The following can be signs at the beginning of a pathologic process or cancerous growth:
- Reddish patches (erythroplasia) or whitish patches (leukoplakia) in the mouth.
- A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily.
- A lump or thickening on the skin lining the inside of the mouth.
- Chronic sore throat or hoarseness.
- Difficulty in chewing or swallowing.
These changes can be detected on the lips, cheeks, palate and gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face and/or neck. Pain does not always occur with pathology, and curiously, is not often associated with oral cancer. However, any patient with facial and/or oral pain without an obvious cause or reason may also be at risk for oral cancer.
We would recommend performing oral cancer self-examinations monthly to note suspicious areas. An area of concern should be biopsied and submitted to an oral pathology lab for a microscopic examination. Remember that your mouth is one of your body’s most important warning systems. Do not ignore suspicious lumps or sores. Please contact us so we may help.