Making good lifestyle choices, eating the right food, and avoiding tobacco can significantly help prevent oral cancer. However, the best way to prevent oral cancer is by getting regular oral cancer screenings and visiting your dentist for a routine check-up. Routine check-ups allow your dentist to look at your dental health and warn you about the early signs of oral cancer. 

While many people know the importance of regular oral cancer screenings, most do not realize how often they should get one. The truth is that it can differ from person to person depending on certain factors. Your dentist can help you determine how often you should get the checkups. Visit chroma dental to get your doubts cleared today. 

The standard recommendation 

Experts have different opinions on how frequent your oral cancer screenings should be. However, it is recommended that all adults get at least one screening per year. If you regularly visit your dentist for normal routine check-ups, adding oral cancer screenings to the calendar should not be difficult. Many dentists include it as a part of the regular check-up. 

Regardless of how good your oral hygiene routine may be, you can still get oral cancer. Unfortunately, brushing twice a day, flossing, and using mouthwash is not enough to reduce the chances of oral cancer to 0%. 

If you believe you will never get the disease because you have a good oral care routine, your mind may automatically ignore the signs and symptoms. Failing to take prompt medical care for cancer can be deadly. 

What are the risk factors for oral cancer?

While once a year is a standard recommendation, the actual number may depend on the risk factors that apply to you. If you have more risk factors, you may need two or three screenings yearly. Some risk factors for oral cancer include the following: 

• Alcohol.
• Tobacco. 
• Sun exposure.
• Family history.
• Age. 
• Diet. 
• Gender. 

Even if none of the risk factors apply to you, you should still get one yearly screening. The worst thing about oral cancer is that you won’t immediately notice the symptoms. Some of them are too subtle, while sometimes the signs do not even show until it is too late. 

Benefits of getting regular oral cancer screenings 

Regular oral cancer screenings are essential to maintain good dental health status and know the early signs of the disease. Some significant benefits include the following: 

• Reduced risk of developing a deadly disease.
• Early detection of cancerous cells that do not show symptoms otherwise.
• You get peace of mind that your body is healthy.