What Is Oral Cancer?
As Oral Cancer Awareness Month continues, we want to take a closer look at what this condition is as well as how you recognize the signs and symptoms. As your Houston dentist, we encourage you to schedule an appointment and request an oral cancer screening.
The most important thing to do for treatment is to recognize it early. With regular screenings during your check-ups, we help you gain peace of mind and catch it early so that you can begin treatment immediately.
Also known as mouth cancer, it develops in the tissues of the throat and mouth. Moreover, it is often found under an umbrella called head and neck cancers. Every year in the United States, over 49,000 cases are diagnosed. Typically, this occurs in those over the age of 40.
Early detection is essential to survival. When not recognized during dental checkups, it usually goes unnoticed until it spreads to your lymph nodes.
Types of Oral Cancers
- Floor of the mouth
- Gums
- Hard or soft palate
- Inner lining of the cheeks
- Lips
- Tongue
With regular oral screenings, your Houston dentist is often the first doctor to notice symptoms of mouth cancer. That’s just another reason that your biannual dental appointments are so important for your overall health.
Risk Factors
Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors when it comes to mouth cancer. This includes a broad spectrum of products from cigarettes and cigars to pipes and chewing tobacco. When you consume large quantities of tobacco and alcohol, you are at an elevated risk. This is especially true when used on a regular basis.
Additional risk factors:
- HPV
- Chronic exposure to the sun
- Previous oral cancer diagnosis
- Family history of cancer
- Weakened immune system
- Genetic syndromes
- Poor nutrition
Unfortunately, men are twice as likely to develop oral cancer compared to women.
Symptoms
- Dramatic weight loss
- Sores on the lip or mouth that do not heal
- A growth or mass in the mouth
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing
- Earaches that remain persistent
- Lumps around the neck
- Trouble fitting dentures
- Persistent sore throat
- Numbness in the lower lip, face, chin, or neck
- Tongue pain
- Stiffness or pain in the jaw
- Red or white patches in the mouth or on the lips
Some of these symptoms are quite vague and could indicate other conditions. However, when symptoms such as an earache or sore throat persist, visit your Houston dentist or doctor as soon as you are able.
How Do We Diagnose Oral Cancer?
When you come to your Houston dentist for your biannual exam, we use a tool called OrallD to perform an oral cancer screening. This involves a simple test with fluorescent technology to identify areas of pre-cancer and abnormal lesions or oral cancer.
From there, we help you pursue early treatment with your physician. Your doctor may perform a brush or tissue biopsy to confirm our diagnosis. In a brush biopsy, this painless test collects tumor cells by simply brushing them onto a slide.
On the other hand, a tissue biopsy requires the removal of a piece of tissue. Once removed, your doctor examines it for cancerous cells.
Schedule an Appointment Today
As we stated earlier, nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. Early detection is essential to begin treatment as soon as possible. When you schedule your biannual appointment at our Houston dental office, request a screening. Many insurances cover these screenings at least partially.
When you need to know whether you’re covered, our team can let you know. As always, your Houston dentist is here to help you on your journey to improved oral health. Contact our office today to book an appointment!
