Mouth/Oral Cancer

Checking for oral cancer- If in doubt, visit your dentist!

What is Mouth Cancer

Mouth cancer is when cancerous cells multiply in the mouth uncontrollably. Oral cancer, or mouth cancer as it is sometimes known, kills approximately five thousand people a year, which is tragic considering that it is so easily caught in its early stages by your local dentist, and the earlier it is caught, the more likely it is to stop it spreading to the rest of the body. For this reason alone it is vital that people attend regular checkups so that changes in the mouth can be observed and recorded. Oral cancer most commonly affects smokers, drinkers, and men over the age of fifty.

Symptoms of oral cancer

Most common symptoms of oral cancer include rough patches on the lips or on the gums or swellings, lumps, or dotted red and white spots inside the mouth. Other things to watch out for include unexpected bleeding within the mouth lining or numbness or pain anywhere from the mouth or neck. Persistent ear pain, sore throat or soreness that won’t go away should also be cause to visit your dentist. Other symptoms may include difficulty speaking or swallowing or being unable to move the jaw and tongue properly. Dramatic unexplained weight loss and a change in denture bite should also be noted and investigated. Advice for lowering your risk of oral cancer include eating a well balanced diet, regular trips to your local dentist and not smoking or drinking alcohol and taking care to apply lotion that offers UV protection on your skin and lips during time in the sun. It also helps to check your own mouth in the mirror every day and to arrange an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible should you find anything suspicious.

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