Dentistry May be a Key in Cancer Prevention

Oral Exams Could be a Good Indicator of Lung Cancer

A simple inspection of your cheek could reveal potential life-threatening lung cancer, says the leading oral cancer researcher in the country, Dr. Li Mao.

“We hypothesized that tobacco-induced molecular alterations in the oral epithelium are similar to those in the lungs,” which may prove to be a vital cog in the future of lung cancer prevention trials, explained Mao.

Dr. Mao, professor at the University of Maryland Dental School, is pioneering the idea that tissue in your cheek can be an excellent indicator for tobacco-induced lung cancer. As he continues to pursue the links between oral indicators and cancer, it’s important to realize that this discovery has even broader implications: that doctors, researchers, and scientists are coming together to realize and promote the importance of oral care in our overall well-being.

At The Center for Natural Dentistry, we have built our practice on the foundation that good, proper oral care is vital for our overall health; that what goes into the mouth affects the body. Now prominent members of the medical community are starting to build and promote the bridge between medicine and dentistry.

If we can prevent and/or catch lung cancer early by simply examining tissue from your cheek, what will it mean for the future of preventative medicine? Hopefully it means that we will all take a more vested interest in caring for our bodies as a whole, rather than as individual parts.