Oral Cancer – Do You Know the Risks?

April is Oral Cancer Awareness month, but for me, it’s an important topic all year round, and I want to take this opportunity to give you some important information about oral cancer, its causes, and about prevention. Oral cancer may not be in the news as often as other cancers, but nearly 7,000 people will die in 2013 as a result of oral cancer and nearly 36,0000 new cases will be diagnosed. (Source: ACS, revised 02.26.2013)

Oral Cancer Symptoms     

Oral cancer in The Woodlands isn’t difficult to diagnose, but the danger is that it’s often caught in late stages when it’s spread to other parts of the body. If you notice any of the following symptoms in between checkups, please call us right away:

●      A sore that doesn’t heal

●      A lump or thickening of the lining of the mouth

●      Difficult or painful chewing or swallowing

Who Gets Oral Cancer

More than 80% of oral cancers in men (65% in women) occur in tobacco and alcohol users, and combined heavy tobacco and alcohol use increases the risk 300 times that of non-users. (Source: National Institutes of Health, 2006)

Notice I didn’t say “smokers.” There is NO safe tobacco product, despite what you might hear. Even smokeless tobacco, pipes, and clove cigarettes increase your risk dramatically.

HPV and Oral Cancer

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that causes approximately 25% of head and neck cancers, including oral cancer.

At our dental office in the Woodlands, I do an oral cancer screening at every checkup. It’s also a good practice to check your own mouth for any changes when you brush and floss.

I hope you also have annual and periodic health checkups and cancer screens, and make sure regular dental checkups are part of that routine. Call our Woodlands dental office today to make an appointment for a checkup. Information and prevention are good keywords for every aspect of your health, including dental health!