Cavities have been called one of the most prevalent health conditions facing the United States today. They are so common that, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, an estimated 92 percent of adults have at least one cavity in their permanent teeth, and at least 42 percent of children ages 2 to 11 have at least one cavity in their baby teeth. But while some of these instances of tooth decay can be prevented by better oral care habits, some teeth are just more prone to cavities than others.

With oral cancer rates on the incline around the world (a recent news report by CTV news in Canada found that cases of HPV (human papilloma virus)-related oral cancers in Canada have doubled since 2002), getting screened for oral cancer is more important than ever. This year alone, nearly 50,000 people will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in the United States. Of those new cases, only about half will survive more than five years. In fact, this year alone an estimated 9,750 Americans will die of oral cancer. That’s about one oral cancer-related death every 24 hours. Worst of all, the reason behind such a death rate is late detection. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, most cases of oral cancer aren’t spotted until they’ve spread to other organs, which makes early detection the best defense.