Cancer, the mere mention of the word sends makes chills go down your spine. As scary as the word is, with today's information systems (i.e. Google) and medical advancements many people have more of an advantage than in years past. Additionally, many people are more aggressive in taking a more active role in their own health care. These individuals arm themselves with as much information as possible and often begin their search with how to avoid a disease altogether.
Oral Cancer is real and deadly. Cancer of the mouth, or oral cancer, will kill more Marylanders this year than either melanoma or cervical cancer. Only 50 percent of those diagnosed with the disease will survive five years. This information was reported by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH).The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States are for 2012:About 35,000 people will get oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer. An estimated 6,800 people will die from these types of these cancers. These cancers are more than twice as common in men as in women. They are about equally common in blacks and in whites.
What are the risk factors?
Every part of your mouth can be susceptible to developing cancer. This includes your gums, the lining in your mouth and even the tongue and lips. It is good to remember that oral cancer is one type of cancer than in many instances can be completely avoided. You cannot change your age, sex or ethnicity - but if you have not been diagnosed with oral cancer you can work to avoid developing this condition. Here are some risk factors to for mouth and lip cancer:
• Individuals who consume excessive alcohol and those who smoke a lot are at grave risk
• Chewing tobacco is also an important risk factor for lip cancer
• Sun exposure increases the risk for lip cancer as well
The mirror (or two mirrors) can be a great aid in this case. Next time you are in front of a mirror take a good look inside your mouth. The signs can be right in front of your eyes. After taking this look do not ignore the signs. If you have a sore or an ulcer that does not heal, it will be a good idea to call your family doctor or dentist to have this examined. In the event, you have discomfort or pain which does not go away schedule a medical appointment quickly. Other items to look for which should not be ignored are as follows:
• White patches anywhere in your mouth (leukoplakia)
• Red patches anywhere in your mouth (erythroplakia)
• A lump on the lip, tongue or in the mouth or throat
• Unusual bleeding or numbness in the mouth
• Pain when chewing or swallowing
• A feeling that something is caught in the throat
• Unusual bleeding or numbness in the mouth
• Loose teeth
• Dentures feeling uncomfortable and not fitting properly
• A change in your voice
• Speech problems
• Weight loss
• A lump in the neck
Preventing disease is key to improving our health and that of our family's. When we invest in prevention, the benefits are widely shared.
This post is provided is a forum for you and your family's dental matters. No treatment should be taken based upon its contents. Please consult with a medical or dental professional.
When you have questions about periodontal disease, please contact John Robinson, DMD, at Embry Hills Dental Care 678-383-2622.
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