What You Need To Know About Oral Cancer

There has been increasing coverage in the news of various cancers, their growth and potential treatment options. Unfortunately, cancer can also affect the oral tissues.

Cancer implies the growth of cells that cause damage to surrounding cells at an uncontrollable rate. Oral cancer can affect any tissue in the mouth from the tongue, lips, cheeks, the floor of the mouth, palate and throat.

If oral cancer is caught early, the survival rate of oral cancers is around 84%. However, when oral cancer is caught at a late stage, the survival rate drops to around 65% since cancer has likely spread to other tissues. That’s why you must see your dentist routinely to check for oral cancer, in addition to the self-checks and monitoring that you can perform at home.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Lumps or bumps
Thickened oral tissue
White, red or cream-coloured lesions
Lesions that don’t heal after a few weeks
Rough or scaly spots
Tingling or numbness in any place in the mouth or face
Sore throat, or the feeling of something caught in the throat that doesn’t go away
Difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking

Risk Factors for Oral Cancer

Men have twice as high a risk of developing oral cancer as women
Age, people who are 50+ years old
Smoking cigarettes, pipes or cigars puts a person at a six times greater risk
Smokeless tobacco often called dip, placed in the cheek lining puts a person at a fifty times greater risk
Regular alcohol consumption
Excessive sun exposure
Family history of oral cancer
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Diagnosis of Oral Cancer

It is essential to be in charge of your health. Monitor your oral tissues routinely, and assess for any changes. This is particularly important if you fall into a higher risk category. When you see your dentist and dental hygienist, they will also perform a check-up exam of all your oral tissues. If there is questionable-looking tissue, the area will be biopsied, which means that a small area of cells will be collected to check for the presence of cancer cells. Oral cancer is treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the cells, depending on the size, spread, and location.