What is Oral Cancer?
What is Oral Cancer?
Oral cancer is sometimes referred to as mouth cancer. It is a type of cancer that develops in the soft tissues of the mouth, lips, gums, and jaw. What makes this type of cancer incredibly dangerous is that it is difficult to detect without the assistance of a dentist. Oral cancer can also quickly spread to other parts of the body. This makes early detection of the disease an essential element of beating it. You can contact a specialist at Imray & Gesek in Florida to conduct screenings on any abnormal symptoms that could be an indication of oral cancer. In addition to this, a specialist can assist you in treating oral cancer, as well as provide treatment for cysts, tumors, or other pathological processes. Our practice is here to educate you on the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for oral cancer.
Early detection is the key to defeating oral cancer! Don’t delay in getting the oral health care you need. Book an appointment or request a referral to a qualified specialist at Imray & Gesek in Florida as soon as possible!
What Symptoms Indicate Oral Cancer?
Being aware of the symptoms of oral cancer can help you know when it’s time to contact your dentist in between your regular checkups. Some of the symptoms of oral cancer include:
- Ulcers or sores that do not heal within three weeks
- An irritation or thick patch in your mouth, lip, or throat
- White or red patches in your mouth
- Numbness in your tongue or other areas of your mouth
What Do I Need to Know About the Causes of Oral Cancer?
A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s odds of developing a disease. While the vast majority of oral cancer diagnoses can be directly linked to lifestyle factors, there are other cases where a person develops oral cancer without any known cause.
Tobacco Use
Two out of three diagnoses of oral cancer can be linked directly to the use of tobacco in any form. The longer a person has used tobacco products, the higher the likelihood that he or she will eventually develop oral cancer. The way tobacco is consumed has an impact on where oral cancer is found. Those who use chewing tobacco are at a higher risk of having cancer develop in the gums, cheeks, and lips, while those who smoke are at an increased risk of the development of cancer within the soft palate and lips.
Alcohol Use
Another significant risk factor is heavy alcohol use. People who have more than 21 alcoholic beverages per week are at a higher risk of having oral cancer. In addition to this, combining heavy alcohol use with any kind of tobacco use makes it six times more likely that you will develop oral cancer.
Other Risk Factors
The other risk factors for oral cancer are:
- Gender: Two-thirds of the people diagnosed with oral cancer are male.
- Age: Oral cancer is most often found in people over the age of 45.
- Prolonged sun exposure.
- Ill-fitting dentures that cause irritation.
- Poor diet, especially one that lacks fruits and vegetables.
- Radiation exposure.
- Previous head and neck cancer diagnosis.
How is Oral Cancer Treated?
When a patient is diagnosed with oral cancer, they are typically treated by a team of healthcare professionals. This team will probably include your regular dentist, an oncologist (a doctor specializing in cancer treatment), and an oral or maxillofacial surgeon.
Before an oral or maxillofacial surgeon decides to operate, he or she will want to have a consultation with you. This appointment will allow your oral surgeon to perform a thorough examination and take x-rays if necessary. Once surgery has been decided upon, another appointment will be made. Most oral surgeries can take place in the office. However, there are some more complicated types of surgeries that will require you to go to the hospital. As part of your surgery, your surgeon will conduct a biopsy. This consists of the surgeon removing all or part of the abnormal tissues from your mouth. The tissues are then taken to a laboratory for proper diagnosis.
Treatment methods for oral cancer can be as simple as having surgery to remove all of the affected tissues, and as complicated as needing to have surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. You should understand that each oral cancer treatment plan is unique.
Early detection is the key to defeating oral cancer! Don’t delay in getting the oral health care you need. Book an appointment or request a referral to a qualified specialist at Imray & Gesek in Florida as soon as possible!
Preventing Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. The majority of cases that are diagnosed each year are linked to certain lifestyle factors. To reduce your risks, you should avoid tobacco and heavy alcohol use. In addition to this, you should schedule appointments with your dentist at least twice a year for checkups and cleanings. Patients who have dentures need to take them out every night and be sure to clean them once a day. Avoiding sun exposure, wearing a hat when in the sun for a long time, and wearing a lip balm with sunscreen in it can also reduce your risk. You should also eat a healthy diet consisting of lots of fruits, vegetables, and omega-3s.
The Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that approximately 48,000 people in the United States of America are diagnosed with oral cancer on a yearly basis. Detecting this disease early on is the key to successfully treating it. Remember, oral cancer can happen to anyone!
Early detection is the key to defeating oral cancer! Don’t delay in getting the oral health care you need. Book an appointment or request a referral to a qualified specialist at Imray & Gesek in Florida.
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