Ed. Note: The following content was provided by A New Smile Dental, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.

The Santa Clarita dentists at A New Smile Dental in Canyon Country are offering preventive care options like a brand new type of oral cancer screening recommended for adults age 35 and up.

Called Velscope, the dentist uses a special light to illuminate any cancerous or precancerous areas in the mouth, helping catch oral cancer while in its early stages.

“The light shines on anything that can be precancerous or cancerous and it turns it a different color,” said Dr. Lila Zarrinnam, DDS, of A New Smile Dental. “We recommend it after a certain age, about 35 to 40, which is still very very young but that’s when the beginning (of cancer) happens. So if you take care of it before it becomes a major problem, it’s minor– you go on with your life.”

Santa Clarita Dentist

Zarrinnam recommends all of her patients get regular cleanings and exams about every six months in order to catch other oral problems that you wouldn’t be able to see yourself.

“A lot of times there are things that with just brushing and flossing, you miss,” she said. “Cavities occur in between the gums; calculus builds up underneath the gums. There are things you do not see, you don’t feel pain. A lot of times we can find things before it becomes a major problem.”

In addition to catching oral problems like cavities and gum disease, dentists also sometimes discover additional health problems while examining inside their patients’ mouths.

Related: Santa Clarita Dentists Discuss Importance Of Dental Care

“Besides having a nice, bright smile, we want to make sure you’re healthy. We want to make sure nothing else is happening,” Zarrinnam said, joking that the mouth is “a gateway to your soul.”

“A lot of times we spend a lot more time with you than your general doctor does,” she added, “so we are able to catch things before they become anything major, and we can refer you even to your medical doctors for other procedures.”

Santa Clarita Dentist Financial Assistance

For those unsure if they can afford regular cleanings and exams, A New Smile Dental offers a variety of assistance programs, including financing and flexible payment plans.

“We want everybody to come in and have the services provided no matter what your finances are,” Zarrinnam said. “We will work with you, because we don’t think that dentistry should be for the elite. It should be for everybody.”

A New Smile Dental

27209 Camp Plenty Road

Canyon Country, CA 91351

661-434-5111