facts on oral cancer

Coast Dental is the worst! They asked me to sign off on my charges before the actual exam. The total bill was $100:

$30 – Fluoride treatment
$10 – Exam
$60- Oral cancer screening

Oral cancer screening?!What a load of crap! They even play a DVD in the waiting room about the dangers of oral cancer to scare you into paying for the test. Looks like someone is trying to rip off their customers...

Here are some oral cancer facts:

Oral Cancer
The risk for oral cancer increases with age. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that more than half of oral cancer patients are 65 years of age or older - and that oral cancer is twice as likely in men as women.

The ACS also reports the following:

Primary risk factors for oral cancer are:

Tobacco use - an estimated 90 percent of oral cancer patients use tobacco. A smoker is six times more likely to develop oral cancer than a non-smoker. Smokeless tobacco users are at 50 times the risk of oral cancers of the cheek, gums and inner surface of the lips.

Alcohol use - over 75 percent of oral cancer patients drink alcohol more than occasionally. While heavy drinkers are at higher risk for oral cancer, both drinking and smoking can be a deadly combination.

I am not over 65, I am not a male, I don’t smoke and I’m not an alcoholic. I refused cancer screening as well as the fluoride treatment- my bill was $10. Suckas!