Oral cancer manifests itself as a lump or sore inside the mouth that does not heal. Oral cancer affects roughly 50,000 people annually in the United States, with men being more likely to be diagnosed than women. Cancers of the mouth and throat are collectively referred to as “oral cancer.” Without early detection and quick treatment, the disease can prove to be fatal. Oral cancer is typically easier to treat when detected at an early stage. However, most people tend to learn of their illness after it has progressed beyond the point of viable treatment. The odds of receiving a timely diagnosis improve significantly if you maintain routine dental and medical checkups and educate yourself on how to recognize the signs of trouble.

Undergo Oral Cancer Screenings If You Have These Symptoms

When it comes to oral cancer, the most typical warning signs are:

• Lip, gum, and cheek enlargements, lumps, bumps, rough patches, crusts, and erosion.
• White, crimson, or spotted velvet (white and red) mouth patches.
• Oral hemorrhage that cannot be accounted for.
• Problems with feeling or pain/tenderness in the face, mouth, or neck that can’t be explained.
• Redness, bleeding sores that won’t go away on your face, neck, or mouth for more than two weeks.
• Back of the throat pain or a sense that something is stuck there.
• Problems in biting, swallowing, opening your mouth, or moving your jaw or tongue.
• Voice changes, hoarseness, and chronic sore throat all point to a problem with the vocal cords.
• Aching ears.
• Jaw swelling or discomfort making dentures cumbersome and difficult to insert.
• A modification to the fit of your teeth or dentures
• Sudden and drastic weight reduction.

Do not delay in seeing a dentist or other medical expert if you experience any of these changes.

Which Gender Is More Prone To Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer is twice as likely to affect males compared to females, this is according to the American Cancer Society. For men, the danger increases beyond age 50. There will likely be over 50,000 new cases of mouth-related cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year.

Risk Factors Of Oral Cancer

While men are more susceptible to having cancer of the oral cavity than women, it must be said that there are certain people (male or female) that are at a higher risk of contracting this disease. Here’s a rundown of those high risk factors that should prompt individuals to go for oral cancer screening, especially if they fall under any of the categories listed below:

• Smoking: People who smoke tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars, or pipes are six times more likely to get oral malignancies than people who don’t use tobacco products.
• Avoiding cigarette smoke by using smokeless tobacco: Cancers of the cheek, gums, and lip lining are 50 times more common in people who use dip, snuff, or chewing tobacco.
• Overindulgence in alcoholic beverages: Tobacco users are almost six times more likely to develop oral cancers than those who have never smoked. Additional risk is added when combining alcohol and tobacco use.
• Cancer runs in the family: If your family has a history of cancer, then you are more susceptible to having mouth, lip, tongue cancer or any other type of cancer.
• UV radiation from being out in the sun for long periods of time, especially when one is young. Sunlight’s UV rays are a known carcinogen, and may act as a catalyst for cancer cells to wreak havoc in the body.
• Papilloma virus infection in humans (HPV): Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been linked to some types of human papillomavirus (OSCC). Most people who engage in unprotected sexual activity will acquire HPV at some point. More and more men under the age of 50 who are otherwise healthy are developing malignancies of the throat and mouth after engaging in oral intercourse because of a certain strain of this virus. The danger increases when the number of sexual partners you have risen.
• Age: In some cases, cancer of the mouth takes years to develop. Typically, diagnosis occurs beyond the age of 55. However, HPV-related malignancies are more common in younger males.
• Gender: Cancer of the oral cavity occurs at least twice as often in men as in women. Perhaps this is due to the higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use among men.
• Inadequate nutrition: Lack of consumption of vegetables and fruits has been linked to an increased risk of mouth cancer.

While smokers are at a greater risk of developing cancer of the mouth and indeed other forms of cancer, it must be mentioned that over a quarter of all cases of lip or mouth cancer occur in adults who neither smoke nor regularly consume alcohol.

What are the Prospects for those Diagnosed with Oral Cancer during Routine Oral Cancer Screenings?

When detected in their early stages, patients with malignancies of the oral cavity and pharynx have a 5 year survival rate of 84%. However, this 5-year survival rate lowers to 65% if the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues, organs, or lymph nodes.

In What Ways Might we Detect Oral Cancer?

Your dentist will check for throat cancer as part of your regular checkup. They are the most familiar with what a healthy mouth should look like, therefore your dentist has the highest chance of detecting cancer. After turning 18, or earlier if you begin smoking or engaging in sexual activity, experts advise getting tested annually.

Your dentist will be especially on the lookout for lumps or other abnormal tissue changes in your neck, head, face, and mouth. A dentist will examine for the aforementioned warning signs and symptoms, as well as look for any lesions or discolored tissue, during an oral examination.

In order to determine the nature of a suspicious spot, a biopsy may be required. Your doctor will be able to choose the optimal biopsy method for you from among several options. In spite of their convenience, many surgeons shy away from using brush biopsies because a positive result would need a second, more invasive biopsy with a scalpel. Scalpel biopsies can be either incisional (removing only a small sample) or excisional (removing the entire suspicious area) depending on how much tissue sample analysis is required. Lasers are used by some clinicians to do these biopsies.

Methods for Dealing with Oral Cancer

Surgical removal of the malignant tumor, followed by radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy (chemical therapies) to kill any residual cancer cells, is the standard treatment for mouth and throat cancer.

Just What can You do to Protect Yourself from Developing Oral Cancer?

Researchers believe that DNA damage in mouth cells initiates the development of cancer. However, your health practices, among other factors, can increase your risk. Those who want to avoid developing mouth and throat cancer should:

• avoid using cigarette products,
• limit their alcohol consumption; and refrain from binge drinking.

In addition to avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, you should also try to maintain a healthy diet and protect yourself from the sun by avoiding prolonged exposure. The likelihood of developing cancer of the lip, particularly on the lower lip, rises with repeated exposure. Protect your skin and lips from the sun by applying a lotion that blocks ultraviolet radiation from the sun (UV-A and UV-B).

There are steps you can take to aid in the early diagnosis of oral cancer:

self inspection

At least once a month, you should inspect yourself: In front of a mirror in a well-lit room, inspect the front of your gums and lips. Keep your head tilted back and examine the roof of your mouth and tongue.

Inspect your gums and the lining of your cheeks and mouth as well as the surface of your tongue and the base of your oral cavity. Also, take a peek at your tonsils and check for swollen lymph nodes and lumps on both sides of your neck and under your lower jaw. If you have any of the following symptoms or changes in the appearance of your mouth, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist as a matter of urgency or as soon as you are able to.

Scheduled Visit to your Dentist

Make routine trips to the dentist: Even if you often inspect your mouth yourself, it’s possible that you are missing certain harmful spots or sores because they are too small for you to notice. Oral cancer screenings should be performed every three years for those over the age of 20, and once a year for those over the age of 40, as recommended by the American Cancer Society. Request an oral exam during your next dental checkup. The likelihood of a successful therapy improves if oral cancer is detected early.

FAQs About Oral Cancer Screenings

When Should You Get Checked for Oral Cancer?

The prognosis for patients with oral cancer is improved if the disease is detected at an early stage. That’s why it’s important to have routine exams where the entire mouth is checked for signs of cancer, as recommended by many dentists. Typically, oral screenings are recommended once every three years for those over the age of 20, and once a year for those over the age of 40. Oral cancer screenings should be requested annually by people with risk factors, such as adults who use tobacco, drink excessively, have human papillomavirus (HPV), and/or have a family history of cancer.

How Can You Identify Throat Cancer?

Tumors originate in the throat due to the unchecked growth of abnormal cells caused by abnormalities in the DNA of these cells. To date, medical science still does not know what prompts these cellular shifts. The vocal cords are often the first structure in the throat to be affected by cancer. It has the potential to expand to the larynx, pharynx, and trachea. With throat cancer as with any other form of the disease, getting a proper diagnosis as soon as feasible can improve both diagnosis and prognosis. However, oral cancer is not always obvious at first. As a result, it’s imperative that you see a qualified dentist immediately if you encounter any sort of health change.

When Does Lip Cancer Typically Show Its First Symptoms?

You may be concerned that you have lip cancer if you have lately observed any changes in your lips or the area around your mouth. Signs of cancer of the lip might include: lip and mouth sores that won’t go away, lip enlargement or thickening, lips that are red or white in patches., lip and mouth pain, tingling, and numbness, bruising and bleeding of the lips.

Epic Dental Center Your First Option For Oral Cancer Screening

Epic Dental Center is your first port of call for your mouth and throat cancer screening in Houston, Texas. We specialize in all forms of dentistry including general dentistry, family dentistry, preventative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and also restorative dentistry. Our dentists are highly trained with proven expertise in oral cancer screening with the use of modern dental techniques. We welcome all patients from the 77024-zip code and surrounding areas to our dental office. You can readily reach out to us by phone call – tel:7133659904 or book an appointment online for all of oral health needs today.