Regular Dental Exams Can Help Detect Oral Cancer
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Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — In addition to keeping teeth and gums healthy, the Academy of General Dentistry says that regular dental exams can help detect oral cancer, Health Day reports.
The organization recommends that people get a dental exam every six months, in an effort to raise awareness as part of Oral Cancer Awareness Month in April. More than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year and the disease kills 8,000 annually, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry suggests asking your dentist for an oral cancer screening during the next visit.
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