Oral Cancer Screening in Jackson, NJ

An oral cancer screening is a quick check of your lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, and throat for changes you might not notice on your own. It is part of our preventive dentistry care, it takes only a few minutes, and it does not hurt.

At Artistic Dental Group in Jackson, NJ, Drs. Bookman, Goldberg, and Seto and our team look for anything unusual so it can be addressed early. Many patients have it done during a routine dental exam, and it pairs naturally with a regular dental cleaning visit.

Why Early Detection Matters

The American Cancer Society estimates about 60,480 new cases of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer in the United States in 2026. Timing makes a real difference. According to the National Cancer Institute’s SEER program, the five-year relative survival rate is 88.7% when the cancer is found while still localized, compared with 36.0% once it has spread to distant parts of the body.

Sources: American Cancer Society (2026 estimate) and NCI SEER (2016 to 2022 data).

Risk Factors for Oral Cancer

Anyone can develop oral cancer, but some factors raise the odds. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research lists these among the most common.

• Tobacco in any form, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and snuff.
• Heavy alcohol use, which raises risk further when combined with tobacco.
• Infection with HPV, particularly HPV 16.
• Age, since most cases occur in people over 40.
• Sun exposure, which is linked to lip cancer.
• A diet low in fruits and vegetables.

Having a risk factor does not mean you will get oral cancer, and many people with oral cancer have none of these, which is why screening is useful for every adult.

Signs to Watch For Between Visits

Pay attention to a sore, lump, or thick patch in your mouth, lip, or throat, and to white or red patches. Other possible signs include trouble chewing, swallowing, or speaking, numbness in the mouth, a lump in the neck, and ear pain. If any of these last more than two weeks, make an appointment with your dentist or doctor. Many changes turn out to be harmless, but only an exam can tell.

What We Do If Something Looks Unusual

A visual screening cannot diagnose oral cancer by itself. If we see tissue that looks questionable, we may recommend a biopsy at an independent laboratory or a referral to a specialist, so the tissue can be tested and the right decisions can be made.

Schedule Your Oral Cancer Screening

A screening is one of the simplest steps you can take to look after your oral health, and it fits easily into a regular visit. Our team will explain each step as we go, so you always know what we are checking.

To add a screening to your next visit, call our Jackson office at (732) 942-0909, contact our team, or request an appointment with Artistic Dental Group today.