Oral Cancer – Protection & Early Detection

Cancer is always a scary word—but it doesn’t have to be the last word. Equipped with good information and the best doctors, you can feel empowered to navigate whatever stands before you or your loved one. Oral cancer is common, affecting approximately 50,000 Americans every year. If you have more questions about oral cancer, read more below from Natural Smiles Dentistry in Salt Lake City.

Signs of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is most common among people ages 41-60, and men are at a greater risk of developing it than women. Oral cancer can affect your tongue, cheeks, lips, sinuses, throat, teeth, gums, and roof of the mouth or below your tongue.  Unfortunately, it is often detected later than many other types of cancer. This is one reason why it’s so important to know your body and what’s normal (or not) for you. The earlier you can detect any sign of changes in your mouth, the better.  Regular visits to the dentist include regular screenings for abnormalities that may be signs of oral cancer. These signs may include:

  • A sore throat that doesn’t heal
  • Unexplained bleeding or numbness in your mouth
  • Dentures suddenly don’t fit the same
  • Sores in the mouth
  • Lump in your throat
  • Thick lining in your mouth
  • Loose teeth
  • Red or white sores in your mouth
  • Tongue pain
  • Jaw pain or stiffness when chewing

Some of these symptoms may be confused with gum disease or cold sores, so it’s important you see a dentist or doctor to get the right diagnosis.

Causes of Oral Cancer

Both genetics and lifestyle habits can put you at increased risk for oral cancer. Know your risk factors and talk with your dentist about your family and medical history.

Oral cancer can be caused by:

  • Using tobacco
  • Abusing alcohol
  • Existing condition of HPV (human papillomavirus)
  • A family history of cancer
  • Excessive sun exposure (especially at a young age)

You might be surprised to hear that more than 25% of all oral cancer cases occur among people who never smoked and only had alcohol occasionally.

Treating Oral Cancer

Only a medical professional can diagnose you with oral cancer, and doctors are essential to helping you fight it. If you have any cause for concern, contact Drs. Laura Provine and Thomas Brickey immediately.

The doctor will look at your mouth and remove some cells to determine if they are cancerous. Cancerous cells grow uncontrollably and harm your body. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are essential for survival and recovery. Your medical doctor and dentist can work together to give you the best cancer treatment possible.

Cancer treatments may include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Other alternative treatments exist and are worth discussing with a specialist. The good news is that the one-year survival rate of oral cancer is 81% – though you are at an increased risk of it recurring later.

Because your body is a complex group of interconnected parts and systems, your oral health can greatly help or hurt your overall health. Start taking better care of yourself and make an appointment with Natural Smiles Dentistry today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Sources

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/oral-cancer#2

https://medlineplus.gov/oralcancer.html

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mouth-cancer/symptoms-causes/dxc-20157232

http://oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/

 

The post Oral Cancer – Protection & Early Detection appeared first on Natural Smiles Dentistry.



from Natural Smiles Dentistry https://www.naturalsmilesdentistry.com/learning-center/dental-health/oral-cancer-protection-early-detection/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Help! My Child is Terrified of the Dentist

Image
If you’re the parent of a young child, you know their brains are similar to sponges that soak up everything around them—especially in their first five years, which neuroscientists say is when they’ll do the most learning and developing in their entire life. At this formative time, your child may amaze you with what they notice: your facial expressions, the different tones of your voice, and your habits. If your habits include regular dental visits and an excellent oral hygiene routine, they’ll notice and want to emulate you. If you happen to feel anxious about your dental visits, or you groan when you’ve got to floss and brush, they may synchronize and feel your dread. This could lead to dental fears that stick with them for years—potentially a lifetime! Kids Can Be Courageous If you’re feeling guilty right now, go ahead and put that away as it won’t serve you or your little one. Everyone has some room for improvement, and Coastal Pediatric Dentistry® is here to help show you an...
Read more

Going for the Gold?

Image
On the left is the older allow, on the right the new one that my lab has chosen to use The cost of a penny weight of pure gold is currently $79.53. The cost of a penny weight of pure palladium is $130.6. It used to be that palladium was added instead of gold to the precious metals often used for pfms, but now laboratories are finding that palladium is no longer affordable. The lab that I am using has just changed the formulation of the metal it's using to one that has more gold than palladium. I really do not mind, but metals with more gold are softer and often easier for a dentist to accidentally polish off delicate margins. It is important when polishing "higher gold" formulations to exert less hand pressure when performing the final polishing of the crown's margins. Other wise there should be no problem with this change. Traditionally labs have chosen alloys with higher gold percentages for optimal esthetics, since alloys with higher concentrations of ...
Read more

Lemon Juice – The Good, the Bad, & the Sour

Image
In a great tale of opposites, lemon juice can be both acidic and basic, or alkaline. Read on to find out why people are talking about this, and what it means for your oral and overall health . What is pH and why does it matter? Drinking lemon juice (usually diluted in a glass of water or added to a cup of tea) is a beloved health tonic among fans of natural medicine. Potential benefits include lower cholesterol, lower inflammation in the body, and increased metabolism and energy. Lemon also contains high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C that boost your immune system. On a scale from 0-14, a pH of 7 is neutral (pure water) while numbers below 7 are acidic (unhealthy), and above 7 are basic or alkaline (healthy). Believers in holistic health blame many ailments on the body’s pH being too low or too acidic. Increasing your body’s pH is called “alkalizing.” Lemon juice in its natural state is acidic with a pH of about 2, but once metabolized it actually becomes alkaline with a pH ...
Read more