Early Detection is Your Best Protection
Cancer is never welcome. And
especially not oral cancer, which has a high mortality rate unless caught
in the very early stages. Unfortunately,
it's painless and sneaky, often going undetected until it's advanced
far beyond what's successfully treatable. That's why you should know
and conscientiously avoid the risk factors, and routinely undergo a meticulous
professional screening by your dentist.
Chronic Irritations Create Bad
Situations
The five most common risk factors for oral cancer are: tobacco
use, frequent high quantity alcohol consumption, constant sunlight exposure,
habitual
cheek or lip biting, or poorly fitting dentures. In fact, 80-90% of oral
cancers are found in people who smoke or chew tobacco, drink excessively,
or do both…doubling that risk. And anything that causes constant
irritation to mouth and lip tissues may eventually result in white patches
of leukoplakia, which may experience excessive cell growth, leading to
cancer. Our part in fighting this disease, is our thorough screening
process: we check for those tell-tale white patches, persistent mouth
sores, tissue color changes, spots of pain, tenderness, numbness, or
any changes in your bite over time. We'll also ask about lifestyle habits,
difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving your tongue. If needed,
we'll order a biopsy to eliminate concern. And your part is to simply
avoid the risk factors and be safe, not sorry!
Back to library
|
