Benefits and Expectations

• When oral cancer is found at the earliest stage, treatment is quicker, simpler, less involved, and more then 90% successful!  When oral cancer is diagnosed in late stage, treatment is expensive, disfiguring and has a poor survival rate.
• ViziLite Plus is a technology used by your dental professional to assist in the early detection of abnormal tissue in your mouth.
• ViziLite Plus helps your dental professional see abnormal tissue that is not visible during a regular exam.
• At the conclusion of a ViziLite Plus exam, following a standard visual exam, you can be confident you have received the most comprehensive oral cancer screening available.

So, your ViziLite Plus exam is positive. Now what?

Important answers to questions about ViziLite Plus exams.

Q: What does it mean that my ViziLite Plus exam results were positive?
A: It means that during the visual portion of your oral exam, your health care provider saw something that didn’t look entirely normal.

Q: Is a positive ViziLite Plus result bad news?
A: Not necessarily.  ViziLite Plus identifies oral abnormalities including serious abnormailites such as oral cancer.  However, ViziLite Plus will also identify benign abnormalities.  Your dental provider will first rule out trauma (cheek bites, food irritations, etc.) as a cause of the abnormality.  You may be recalled for further evaluation.  If, at the time of your re-evaluation, your dental provider is not 100% certain that the abnormality is benign, you will likely be referred to a specialist for further assessment.

Q: What causes a positive result on a ViziLite Plus exam?
A: For a description of how ViziLite Plus works, click here. 

Q: What should I be doing until my next ViziLite Plus exam?
A: The first thing is, don’t worry over the first positive reading. You should continue to practice good health measures. Your mouth responds to positive lifestyle changes like avoiding cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and alcohol. It’s OK to continue to eat the foods that you normally do; however, try to eliminate foods that can irritate and scratch the inside of your mouth, tongue, and cheeks – such as nuts or hard candies – until after your next exam.

Q: Where can I go to get more information about oral health issues?
A: Your health care professional is always an excellent source of information. In addition, you may want to visit the Oral Cancer Foundation website at www.oralcancerfoundation.org for more information.