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What is Oral Cancer?
Provided by Colgate
What Is Oral Cancer?
Oral cancer is cancer that occurs on the lips (usually the lower lip), inside
the mouth, on the back of the throat, the tonsils or salivary glands. It
occurs more frequently in men than women, and most likely to strike people
over 40. Smoking in combination with heavy alcohol use is a key risk factor.
If not detected early, oral cancer can require surgery, radiation therapy
and/or chemotherapy. It can also be fatal, with an overall five-year survival
rate of approximately 50%.[1] of the reason for this poor prognosis is a failure
to recognize the early symptoms, so detecting oral cancer early is the key
to successful treatment.
What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?
You won't always be able to spot the earliest warning signs of oral cancer,
which is why regular check-ups with both your dentist and physician are
so important. Your dentist is trained to detect early warning signs of oral
cancer. However, in addition to check-ups, you should see your dentist
if you do notice any of the following:
- A sore on the lips, gums, or inside of
your mouth that bleeds easily and doesn't heal
- A lump or thickening in the cheek that you can feel with your tongue
- Loss of feeling or numbness in any part of your mouth
- White or red patches on the gums, tongue or inside of mouth
- Difficulty chewing
or swallowing food
- Soreness or unexplained pain in your mouth, or feeling that something
is caught in your throat with no known cause
- Swelling of the jaw causing dentures to fit poorly
- Change in voice
How Can I Prevent Oral Cancer?
If you don't chew or smoke tobacco-don't start. Tobacco use accounts for
80 to 90 percent of oral cancers.
- Smoking - the link between smoking, lung cancer and heart disease is well
established[2] Smoking also affects your general health, making it harder to
fight infections and recover from injuries or surgery. Among young adults,
smoking can lead to stunted growth and other developmental difficulties. Many
smokers find they can't smell or taste as well as before, and risk developing
bad breath and stained teeth.
Your oral health is also at risk every time you light up. Smoking cigarettes,
a pipe or a cigar greatly increases your chances of developing cancer of
the larynx, mouth, throat and esophagus. Because so many people are not aware
of or ignore early symptoms, oral cancer often spreads before it is detected.
- Chewing Tobacco - Chronic users of smokeless tobacco are 50 times more
likely to develop oral cancer than non-users.
It's best to avoid smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes, chewing tobacco or
dipping snuff. People who stop using tobacco, even after many years of use,
greatly reduce their risk for oral cancer. Chronic and/or heavy use of alcohol
also increases your risk of cancer, and alcohol combined with tobacco creates
an especially high risk.
How Is Oral Cancer Treated?
After a diagnosis has been made, a team of specialists (including an oral surgeon
and dentist) develops a treatment plan to fit each patient's needs. Surgery
is usually required, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. It's important
to see a dentist who's familiar with the changes these therapies may cause
in the mouth.
Each time you consume foods and drinks that contain sugars or starches, the
bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack your teeth for 20 minutes or more.
To reduce damage to your tooth enamel, limit the number or between meal snacks
and drinks. And when you do snack, choose nutritious foods such as cheese,
raw vegetables, plain yogurt or fruit.
What Oral Side Effects Occur with Radiation Therapy?
When radiation therapy is used for the head and neck area, many people experience
irritation in the mouth, Dry mouth, difficulty in swallowing and changes
in taste. Radiation also increases the chances of getting cavities, that's
why it is especially important to take good care of your teeth, gums, mouth
and throat, during radiation treatment.
Be sure to talk regularly with your cancer specialist and dentist about any
mouth problems you might have during and after radiation treatment. Also, discuss
with your dentist, prior to starting head and neck cancer therapy, what you
can do before, during and after your therapy to help prevent the possible oral
side effects.
How Can I Maintain Oral Health During My Therapy?
Be sure to brush with a soft toothbrush after meals and floss daily. Avoid
spices and coarse foods like raw vegetables, dry crackers and nuts. Also
avoid tobacco and alcohol. Eat or chew sugar-free gum or candy to keep
your mouth moist.
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