The Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is characterized by abnormal cell growth in the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat. With early detection, oral cancers have a high rate of successful treatment. The people at the greatest risk for oral cancers are those over the age of 45, but regardless of your age, you should opt for oral cancer screening if you’ve experienced any of the following symptoms:
- Discoloured patches in your mouth or on your lips, including white or dark red in colour.
- Unfamiliar lumps or unusual changes in texture.
- Canker sores that won’t heal, numb patches, or persistent bleeding.
- Unusual feeling tongue, change in sense of taste, and difficulty swallowing.
The Risk Factors for Oral Cancer
There are several behaviours and conditions that are associated with a higher risk of oral cancer. These include:
- Smoking or consuming tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco.
- Heavy or moderately heavy consumption of alcohol, especially combined with tobacco.
- Possibility of human papillomavirus infection of the mouth.
- Excessive exposure to the sun; a lifestyle that includes lots of sun exposure.
- A poor diet or poor eating habits.
- Family history of oral cancer.
- Oral cancer is more common in men than in women.
- A history of leukoplakia, which is a thick, whitish coloured patch that develops inside the mouth.
Prevention, Detection, and Treatment of Oral Cancer
Spotting Early Signs of Cancer
We want to keep our Dundas community healthy and thriving, so the goal of an oral cancer screening is the early detection of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. During the exam, one of our dentists will look over the inside of your mouth and under your tongue for red or white patches or suspicious sores. We will also feel the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or odd textures and may also feel the outside of your throat and neck for lumps.
Diagnosis and Treatment
If signs of cancer are detected during your oral screening, you may be asked to undergo additional testing, such as a biopsy (where a small piece of the suspicious tissue is removed for lab examination) or imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, or an MRI. To remove confirmed tumours, surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy may be necessary.
Prevention of Oral Cancer
You can take steps now to help prevent oral cancer later. To help reduce your risk of oral cancer, see your dentist regularly for routine exams, stop using tobacco products, drink responsibly, be mindful of your exposure to direct sunlight, use UV protective lip balms, eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and during your routine brushing and flossing, check your mouth for signs or symptoms so that you can report any concerns to your dentist.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any of the risk factors for oral cancer, it’s a good idea to ask for an oral cancer screening during your regular dental exam. If you discover an unusually coloured or textured patch in your mouth or a lump or suspicious sore, you are encouraged to schedule an appointment to have it checked out.
Your dentist will examine your lips and the inside of your mouth, including your cheeks, gums, and all sides of your tongue. They will also carefully feel around for any lumps or unusual textures. The dentist may also feel your face, jaw, throat, and neck for unusual lumps or tenderness.
Wash your hands with warm soapy water. In front of your bathroom mirror, examine the roof of your mouth, your lips, tongue, and gums. Pull your top lip up and bottom lip down to see behind them. You may use a piece of gauze or a cotton pad to help you grip your tongue to check the sides and underside. Do your best to look at your gums and use your fingers to feel the insides of your mouth. You’re looking and feeling for colour changes, lumps, bumps, unusual textures, or tenderness. Let your dentist know if you have any sores that have not healed after two weeks.
Small, usually painless, flat patches that may appear red, white, gray, or yellow with red edges. These small patches can affect any area of the mouth, including the lips, gums, cheeks, tongue, and the roof of the mouth. As a good rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to have anything that looks or feels unusual checked out by your doctor or dentist.
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