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Oral pathology is an infection or disease of the mouth, jaws, or salivary glands. Many oral pathologies appear without pain, which makes detecting them yourself difficult. It’s important to visit your dentist regularly so that he can search for any symptoms of oral diseases regularly.
Early detection of oral pathologies is key; while most oral pathologies (e.g., oral herpes, mumps, tonsillitis, oral ulcers, etc.) are benign (non-cancerous), others can be very dangerous if not treated immediately, such as oral cancer.
Oral pathology is an umbrella term for any disease or cancer of the oral or facial region. Many oral pathologies do not have any painful symptoms in early stages, so most health professionals recommend regular oral examinations as the best preventive measure. Some examples of oral pathologies are tonsillitis, salivary gland disease, burning mouth syndrome, herpes simplex virus, and oral cancer.
Your general physician can treat some oral pathologies, like minor cases of strep throat, but some pathologies require the expertise of an oral surgeon. All our surgeons were trained to diagnose and treat a wide variety of oral pathologies.
Early diagnosis is the best defense against most oral pathological processes, so it’s a good idea to perform regular oral examinations on yourself and look out for any sudden changes in your mouth. If you notice anything strange, contact your oral surgeon to schedule a consultation. Although many oral pathologies are not serious, oral cancers and other diseases can lead to serious consequences if they are not caught early. The mouth is one of the body’s most sensitive warning systems, so look out for any significant changes in the color or texture of your mouth’s lining.
Some symptoms that may indicate a pathologic process include:
We offer the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases in our Kennewick, WA, office.
Our oral surgeons are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of oral pathologies. If you experience any of the above symptoms, your surgeon will give you a thorough examination and develop a custom treatment plan to restore your oral health. Contact our office in Kennewick, WA for more information.