Mistaken Identity
The establishment of a mutually respectful and collaborative relationship between dentists and dental hygienists is key to the provision of high-quality dental care. One of the most crucial collaborative efforts is performing a thorough head and neck exam. Dentists rely on dental hygienists to perform a systematic examination of the oral cavity and the entire head and neck complex. Additionally, dental hygienists are instrumental in educating patients about oral cancer, and they are often the first clinicians to note any variations from normal within the oral cavity. Even with this systematic approach, some gingival cancers may be challenging to identify when inflammatory components are involved, and their initial presentation appears as a dental abscess, trauma, or periodontal disease.1–3 Gingival cancers are rare, and their initial presentation may be missed due to their location. Unfortunately, a delay in early intervention may adversely affect survival rates.
* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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