A 2 minute oral exam by Rockville Dentist Dr. Victor R. Siegel could just save your life

As many of our patients know, our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Victor Siegel, has been concerned for years with the early detection of oral cancer. To that end our office has just introduced the VELscope Vx, the latest innovation in early oral cancer detection technology. Oral cancer kills one American every hour of every day. According to the SEER database( Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, a premier source for cancer statistics in the United States), oral cancer has a higher mortality rate than several better publicized cancers, such as cervical cancer and testicular cancer. Some oral cancers are now known to be linked to exposure to the sexually-transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV), which means that anyone who is sexually active is potentially at risk for the disease. Because of this, many health experts advise everyone 18-years-old and older to get an oral cancer exam on at least an annual basis. Regular exams can help address the fact that oral cancer is typically discovered in late stages, when the 5-year survival rate is around 30%. When discovered in early stages, however, the survival rate leaps to 80-to-90%, according to SEER data. Early detection can help reduce not only the mortality rate, but the degree of invasiveness and disfigurement resulting from treatment. The VELscope handpiece shines a safe, blue light into the oral cavity and excites natural tissue fluorescence. When viewed by Dr. Siegel through the handpiece's patented filters, abnormal tissue typically appears as an irregular , dark area that stands out against the otherwise normal, green fluorescence pattern of surrounding health tissue. Why VELscope? The VELscope system helps Dr. Siegel visualize abnormalities in the mucosal tissues of your lips, mouth and upper throat. In just two minutes, with no rinses, stains or discomfort, a VELscope examination lets healthcare professionals improve their assessment of your overall oral health. Make sure that your mouth is as healthy as it can possibly be. Call our office, serving the Rockville, Gaithersburg and surroundingareas, andask for a VELscope exam

How Does the VELscope Work? The VELscope's blue light "excites" molecules (called "fluorophores") deep within the layers of oral mucosal tissues. In turn, those fluorophores emit their own light (fluorescence), in shades of green, yellow and red. The VELscope's proprietary filter makes fluorescence visualization possible, by blocking reflected blue light, and by enhancing the contrast between normal and abnormal tissue. Here is a video of a recent The Dr.s segment on oral cancer: