Oral Cancer - Causes and Symptoms
By Avis Ward

Worldwide, there are 350,000 to 400,000 new cases of oral cancer diagnosed each year. Even with today s medical and dental advances, this number hasn t improved significantly in years. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous for two reasons: 1) it is routinely discovered late in its development and 2) oral cancer patients have a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer even five to ten years after the first diagnosis.

Doctors can t explain why one person gets oral cancer and another doesn t, even when they have the same risk factors. The known risk factors include:

  • Smoking and Tobacco Use - At least 75% of those diagnosed with oral cancer are tobacco users, including the so-called smokeless tobacco.
  • Alcohol - Heavy use of alcoholic beverages increases the risk of oral cancer.
  • Smoking and Alcohol Use Combined - Those who smoke and drink heavily are 15 times more likely to develop oral cancer.
  • Sunlight - Prolonged exposure to sunlight is a causative factor in lip and skin cancers.
  • Diet - Studies have shown that a diet low in fruits and vegetables may put you more at risk for oral cancer, and other studies indicate that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may protect against many types of cancer.

The symptoms of oral cancer can be painless or mimic the appearance of other, non-dangerous oral symptoms. For instance, a cancer lesion can look much like a common canker sore. Because the dangerous tissue changes of oral cancer can look and feel like the benign tissue changes that occur normally, it s important to have regular dental check-ups. Your dentist can see or feel many changes in your mouth that may not even be noticeable to you. Some symptoms that should trigger an alarm and a dental visit include:

  • A color change in the mouth, including white, red, smooth, or discolored patches
  • Ulcer or sore on lips or gums that doesn t heal
  • Rough, crusty or eroded spot that doesn t heal
  • A lump, mass, thickening inside the mouth or neck
  • Bleeding in the mouth (Healthy gums don t bleed! This can also be a sign of gum disease.)
  • Loose teeth
  • Pain or difficulty in swallowing, speaking or chewing
  • Pain or difficulty moving the jaws
  • Wart like masses
  • Hoarseness that doesn t go away
  • Numbness in the oral/facial region
  • Change in the way teeth fit together
  • Difficulty wearing dentures
  • Earache
  • Any oral change or soreness that doesn t go away or heal within two weeks

While an infection, gum disease, and many other problems and conditions can cause these same reactions, it s still very important that you see your dentist right away if you experience any of them. If your dentist or doctor decides that an area is suspicious, s/he can perform a biopsy of the area. A biopsy isn t painful or time-consuming and is inexpensive.

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