Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Abnormal growth of cells in your mouth, tongue, lips or throat can lead to oral cancer. Typically, individuals over 45 years of age are more susceptible to this disease. However, when detected early on, it can be treated successfully. Your dentist is the best person endowed with the necessary training, expertise, and skill to recognize early symptoms of this disease. He can also advise you on the associated risks before embarking on an appropriate treatment option.

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What are the Early Symptoms?

If you start seeing patches of dark red on your lips, tongue or mouth, you are better off consulting the best dentist immediately. Changes in tongue sensation, change in taste difficulties with swallowing, numbness or bleeding in your mouth, are also among early symptoms.

Researchers have not established risk factors associated with oral cancer. However, it’s believed that consuming tobacco products like cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc., heavy consumption of alcohol and particularly so, in combination with smoking, oral sex, poor diet, gender and genetics (men are more susceptible than women) are potential among the risk factors.

Treatment Options 

During the oral cancer awareness month you will be informed by medical experts on the kind of symptoms that you should be aware of so that you can know if you have it or not. When you notice any of the symptoms listed above, the right thing to do is consult with an experienced dentist and take his help to get a complete diagnosis done. Your treatment options would depend on various factors and the results obtained from a detailed investigation. If your dentist suspects that you do have oral cancer, he may recommend the following studies:

A biopsy which would involve removing a few tissues from your body and examine it under a microscope – Imaging tests like ultrasounds, X-rays, MRI or CT scans – Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy or surgery to eliminate the associated tumor

How to Prevent Oral Cancer?

You can prevent oral cancer by following the measures below:

Regular exams by a qualified dentist and asking him/her to do screening for oral cancer. Stop smoking and using other tobacco products – your dentist can help you with the tools to quit. Reduce alcohol consumption if you are a heavy drinker.

Include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet – Limit exposure to the sun and use lip balms. Check your mouth at regular intervals for symptoms or signs and report them to your dentists without loss of time.

If you are keen on oral cancer awareness month you will be able to know how you can control this type of cancer.