How Will I Detect Early Signs of Oral Cancer?

It is important to identify the early signs of oral cancer. This helps increase the successful treatment chances. Therefore, it is advised you make it a part of your regular oral health care routine to check for oral cancer symptoms. Also, be prepared to act immediately if the need arises.

It would be best if you looked out for unusual bumps and persistent pain in and around the tongue, mouth, lips, and throat. This is a form of a healthy oral care routine. Although few people are diagnosed with oral cancer, identifying the early stages will help have more successful treatment.

Mouth cancer appears as a growth in the mouth that doesn’t disappear.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

There are common symptoms of mouth cancer that include:

• Red, white or speckled patches in your mouth
• Having bumps or lumps, swellings, rough spots, or eroded areas on the gums, lips, and the mouth
• You experience unexplained bleeding in the mouth
• Persistent sores on the neck, face, or mouth that easily bleed and doesn’t disappear within two weeks
• You experience unexplained pain, loss of feeling, or numbness in the neck, mouth, or face.
• Noticing dramatic weight loss
• Change of voice, hoarseness, or chronic sore throat
• You’ll have difficulties swallowing or chewing, speaking, and moving the jaw or tongue.
• Pain or swelling in the jaw so that when you wear dentures, they might be uncomfortable or hard to put in.

If you notice any of these changes, visit an emergency dentist in St Petersburg or contact your dentist immediately.

What Are the Causes of Oral Cancer?

Although the cause of mouth cancer is unclear, certain lifestyles factors are likely to put one at risk for this disease. However, some elements cannot be changed, such as age. Most mouth cancer patients are older than 55 years because it takes some years to develop. On the other hand, other factors are related to personal choices, and changing your lifestyle may help in reducing the risks. Some of the risks include:

Alcohol use:  Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to oral cancer. Seven out of ten patients with oral cancer are drinkers. The risk of heavy drinkers getting oral cancer is a hundred times higher than for a nondrinker.

Tobacco use: People who use snuff, dip, and chew tobacco products increase the risk of oral cancer depends on how long they have used it. Tobacco can cause damage to the cells lining in the throat and mouth, while some can cause damage to the DNA cell directly.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Some sexually transmitted diseases can lead to oral cancer. Almost everyone who’s sexually active can get HPV at some point in their life. A certain type of virus causes a growing healthy man under the age of 50 to get cancers in the throat and back of their mouth from oral cancer.

Oral Cancer Treatments and Screenings

It is not easy to examine your throat and mouth, unlike other parts of your body. One requires proper lighting and a mirror to see the mouth’s surfaces, and many places in the mouth won’t be visible still. But, we have good news, you can get your oral cancer screenings in St. Petersburg, FL. Out dental hygienists and dentists have professional skills in performing screenings for mouth cancer.

The examinations are painless and quick for detecting the early stages of the disease. In addition, your dentist will locate abnormal tissue in the mouth through the screening. Also, dental x-rays help in identifying any risk in the mouth.

If there’s any abnormal tissue, a biopsy may be conducted by removing the abnormal tissue surgically. Then, with a specific diagnosis, your dentist will determine a treatment plan. Depending on the severity, the treatment might include chemotherapy or surgery.

Prevention Tips of Oral Cancer

During your screening for oral cancer with Dr. Weatherwax, he will give you some of these tips to help you prevent oral cancer:

• Maintain good oral health
• Smokers and drinkers should quit smoking and drinking
• Exercise regularly
• Always choose food that prevents cancer
• It would help if you avoided HPV infections

Visit Dental Arts Ninth Street for an oral cancer check-up and screening today!