Five Medical Tests Every Woman Needs

Early detection is often the best prevention. But do you know which common medical tests you should have this year?

There are 5 tests that target life-altering, sometimes deadly, conditions every woman needs to watch for. These include screenings for oral cancer, peripheral arterial disease (hardening of the arteries), depression, skin cancer and glaucoma.

Here are compelling reasons why you need to get these tests now:

• Oral cancer has one of the lowest 5-year survival rates of all cancer, most likely because lesions are not detected until too late. Early detection can improve your survival by 90%, yet not every dentist screens regularly for oral cancer, so you have to insist on it.
• Peripheral arterial disease (hardening of the arteries) significantly increases your chances of heart attack or stroke.
• Serious depression affects an estimated 19 million Americans annually. Depressive disorders have been linked to increased mortality from other chronic illnesses like heart disease and possibly cancer.
• Skin cancer is the #1 cancer in America. Early detection can increase your chance of survival by 600%.
• Glaucoma is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness.

Here are 5 tests you can't afford to overlook:

Test 1: Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can be caused by chronic inflammation or transmittal of the HPV virus through oral sex. A screening involves using multi-spectral technology--3 different lights that allow an oral health professional to see lesions invisible to the naked eye. If an abnormality is detected, a biopsy is the next step.

Besides requesting an oral cancer screening at your dentist office, examine yourself when brushing and flossing. Look for abnormalities in the mouth, such as white patches and ulcers that don't heal.

Practice prevention by avoiding heavy alcohol and tobacco use and eat plenty of alkaline, antioxidant foods, like garlic and green vegetables