At Grosse Pointe Family Dentistry, We Take Extra Steps to Ensure Your Smile Stays Safe
Did you know that one person in the United States dies every hour from oral cancer? While this disease might not be brought up as often as cavities or gum disease in your dentist’s office, its presence can be devastating for your health if it’s not caught at an early stage. Plus, although lifestyle choices like heavy tobacco use can increase your odds of contracting oral cancer, 25% of current victims exhibit no known risk factors, meaning that anybody could potentially be at risk. At Grosse Pointe Family Dentistry in Macomb, Dr. Chris Panagos, Dr. Olga Panagos and their team are committed to providing patients with the latest in dental technology and high-quality care, and that includes Vizilite Plus, a revolutionary new tool for detecting the presence of oral cancer. We take the threat of disease very seriously, and with the help of Vizilite Plus for patients from Macomb County and beyond, we can minimize or even eliminate negative consequences altogether at the earliest possible stages.
How does Vizilite Plus work?
It’s simple – you’ll rinse your mouth with a cleansing solution and then sit back as we use the special Vizilite Plus light to closely inspect the tissue. With the help of this advanced technology, healthy tissues look dark while potential problem areas will show up as white. If we do discover a suspicious area it may not necessarily indicate the presence of oral cancer; the area could be benign, or simply the result of a bite or irritation. Dr. Chris Panagos and Dr. Olga Panagos will review the results closely and then make recommendations on what your next step should be. Vizilite Plus is a great addition to the standard oral cancer exam because it’s simple, painless, and it gives us the best chance possible to discover abnormalities early on!
We recommend that all patients over the age of 18 attend an annual comprehensive oral cancer screening that includes Vizilite Plus. In addition, patients who have a history of oral cancer, use tobacco on a regular basis, and/or are forty or older are at a much higher risk and may want to consider attending more frequent appointments at our dental office.
