Oral cancer as the name suggest is cancer of your mouth. These are present as sores that grow in the mouth which are hard to get relieved of unless treated. These sores damage the surrounding tissue damaging the cells in the mouth.
Oral cancer not only includes the cancer of gums and the inner lining tissues but also includes the cancer in the inner lining of your cheeks, throat, lips, mouth palate, floor of the mouth, roof of the mouth and tongue.
It is very important to get it detected in the early stages of life as ignoring for longer can cause life threatening complications. It is therefore advised to visit your dentist if you come across even a slightest symptom of developing a cancer. Your dentist is the best to guide you in case your show any signs for it.
Signs & Symptoms of Oral Cancer
Surely your dentist is the right person to detect the same yet there are certain signs and symptoms to look out for the same:
- Red or white patches inside your mouth on the gum lining. Though these do not necessarily mean that you have a cancer, but it is important to get it checked by your dentist.
- The sores that develops on the face, mouth and neck which do not heal easily in two weeks and bleed. The bleeding can be a clear sign that you might face this issue.
- If you feel numbness or persistent pain in your face, neck or mouth and such pain do not carry any reason with it then the chances that you might be at a stage of developing a cancer is high.
- Swelling, lumps, spots or crusts on lip or on any area inside your mouth can be a sign of cancer. These lumps or sores if do not heal on their own with time can be of serious concern
- In case you come across bleeding inside your mouth and if the bleeding is unexplained then one should visit a dentist immediately. This should not be ignored at all and urgent action should be taken against it.
- Change in the voice, sore throat, difficulty in chewing, difficulty in speaking, hoarseness, ear pain, weight loss without any specific reason, difficulty in moving the jaw are also symptoms of Oral Cancer. It might not lead to Oral Cancer but should not be avoided.
These signs and symptoms are what you can look out for yourself and be ready for the consequences if any.
Causes of Oral Cancer
Normally when we hear about Oral Cancer the very first reason of someone getting a cancer is that they chew tobacco or smoke a cigarette but are these really the only reasons of getting Oral Cancer. There are various reasons of a person getting cancer such as:
- Excessive sun exposure – This usually happen at young age. If a person is exposed to sun for a very long time then it increase chances of developing lip cancer
- Alcohol consumption – If a person excessively consumes alcohol then the chances of developing oral cancer is high.
- Family History – In some cases if any member in your family had experienced Oral Cancer then there are chances that you too might get the same.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) – HPV which can spread through Oral sex is a major cause of cervical cancer and can affect skin too.
- Smoking cigarette or chewing tobacco – People who smoke cigarette or chew or sniff tobacco are more likely to develop the cancers as stated above
All the reasons stated above causes cancer. If you are into any of the above stated reason then you should surely visit a dentist and get yourself examined after every six years to know the condition of your mouth.
How to Prevent Oral Cancer
But as it is said prevention is better than cure. There are certain preventive measures that can be taken to ensure that you do not develop cancer. The measures are:
- Avoid smoking and limit your alcohol consumption. This is a healthy option not only for your mouth but also for your overall health.
- Use a sunscreen while walking out in the sun. This will protect your skin and will prevent you from lip cancer.
- Have a well-balanced diet. Eat healthy and live healthy
Apart from these visit a dentist after every 6 months for regular check-up to ensure that your oral health is well-maintained. An oral surgeon is trained in treating such cases. If you feel that are suffering from any such sign then look out for oral surgeon near me and get an appointment booked today.