The ADA News (4/26) reports about the ADA’s released brochure which can help dentists “educate patients about the importance of the (HPV) vaccine. HPV stands for human papillomavirus vaccine, accordingly. This could prevent nearly 90% of HPV-related cancers in the United States,” called “Oral Health and the HPV Vaccine”. Moreover, the brochure includes “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations about who should get the vaccine”. Plus, “vaccine safety” facts.
An ADA Science Institute-developed Oral Health Topics page on oral and oropharyngeal cancer states that “HPV infection is a major risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer”. It added that data suggest that oral HPV infection is most likely acquired by those who haven’t received the vaccine. Also, a guide from the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable and the ADA lists actions dental health care providers can take concerning cancer prevention through HPV vaccination.
A CE course is available on HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer. In addition to ADA’s brochure On HPV Vaccine, they also offer the “Get The Facts About Mouth and Throat Cancer.”
Dentists can refer patients to MouthHealthy.org for information on oral cancer and HPV and oropharyngeal cancer. Also, JADA For the Patient also includes the article Oral cancer: What to do if something unusual shows up.
Article from: ADA Morning Huddle
Lorin Berland, DDS