Oral Cancer

I went to the dentist the other day and he offered me a new diagnostic test to screen for oral cancer: Vizilite Plus. After some temporary anxiety I made a quick decision on the spot and decided to go ahead and have the screening.

With this new test I had to rinse my mouth with a special liquid, spit it out, and then let the doctor look into my mouth with a special light. The liquid and the light together are supposed to disclose any problem areas and make them easier for the doctor to see. The whole procedure was painless, relatively quick, and cost $55. I guess I’m glad I had it done, especially since it didn’t turn up any problem areas for me. Whew!

If you have to go to the dentist or the periodontist anytime soon, you might be given this same decision: have the test, don’t have the test? You might want to read up on it beforehand.

More diagnostic tests like this are certainly in our future. I mentioned the other day about a saliva test to detect breast cancer. And while Vizilite Plus is not a saliva test, there are more saliva tests in development.

I think all this is really good, and I think this is what scientists should be doing instead of genetically modifying our food supply. Better diagnostic tools are always welcome as far as I’m concerned.


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