April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month

When you think of the dentist, you don’t usually think of cancer detection – just cleanings, fillings, crowns and the like. But your dentist plays a very important role in finding and diagnosing oral cancer, which encompasses cancers of the lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and throat. It can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated quickly.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 53,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer this year alone, causing 9,700 deaths. Of those 53,000 newly diagnosed people, only a bit more than half will be alive in five years. Oral cancer is a very serious condition and must be detected early for the best chance of beating it.

Symptoms

At your twice-yearly cleanings, your dentist should be examining your mouth for signs of oral cancer, which can include:

• Swelling, thickening, lumps or bumps, rough spots, crusty areas, eroded areas on the lips and gums.
• Velvety white, red or speckled patches in the mouth.
• Unexplained mouth bleeding.
• Numbness, loss of feeling, or pain and tenderness of the face, mouth or neck.
• Persistent sores on the face, neck or mouth that start bleeding easily and don’t heal within two weeks.
• Hard time chewing or swallowing, speaking, and moving the tongue or jaw.
• A feeling like you have something caught in the back of your throat.
• Chronic sore throat.
• Change in voice.
• Hoarse voice.
• Ear pain.
• Dramatic weight loss.

If you notice any of these signs, see your dentist right away.

Risk Factors

Men have twice the risk of getting this type of cancer as women do, and men older than 50 are especially at risk. Generally, risk factors for developing oral cancer include:

• Smoking cigarettes, cigars and pipes: Smokers are six times more likely than non-smokers to get oral cancers.
• Using smokeless tobacco: Those who use dip, snuff or chewing tobacco products are 50 times more likely to develop oral cancers.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: Drinkers get oral cancers six times more often than non-drinkers.
• Family history of cancer.
• Too much early sun exposure.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Even if you don’t smoke or drink, it’s worth noting that more than 25 percent of all oral cancers occur in people who only drink alcohol once in a while and have never even smoked.

Contact Studio City Dental Center

Make your appointment for an oral cancer screening now by calling us at 818-762-2977, email us at info@studiocitydentalcenter.com, or fill in our convenient online form for more information.