The Surprising Link between Oral Cancer and HPV

The Surprising Link between Oral Cancer and HPV

Oral cancer is among the many oral health conditions Dr. Wade looks for in every checkup at Stonebriar Smile Design. But, you might wonder, if you don’t have any of the common risk factors, is that even necessary?

The most common risk factors of oral cancer include tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption. So if you avoid both of those, you must be safe, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Recent studies have shown that rates of oral cancer are on the rise in patients who don’t have any of these risk factors. The cause? Human papilloma virus, better known as HPV. And even though we think of HPV primarily in relation to cervical cancer, oral cancer stemming from HPV happens in men and women alike.

There are more than 120 different strands of HPV. Many are harmless, some are not. Some can be transferred with skin-to-skin contact, others are sexually transmitted.

With so many different strands and ways of being transmitted, it’s easy for HPV to slip under the radar, meaning you could be at risk without even knowing it. That’s why Dr. Wade makes oral cancer screenings a regular part of regular checkups for all patients, regardless of the risk factors.

Oral cancer screening at our Frisco dental office are quick, and one could save your life.

Has it been more than six months since your last checkup and oral cancer screening? If it has, call Stonebriar Smile Design today to reserve an appointment. Dr. Wade serves patients from Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony.