Oral Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Posted on 4/11/2022 by office |
 Oral cancer doesn't often make headlines compared with other types of cancer. Given the statistics, it certainly should. An estimated 54,000 people in the country will develop oral or oropharyngeal cancer, and nearly 20% will die from it. It is estimated that just over half of patients will survive past five years, which makes the death rate higher than other, more common types of cancer. It is often the case that oral cancer isn't detected early enough when it is most treatable. If you understand the causes of the condition and the symptoms to look for, you can reduce your chances of developing oral cancer or even prevent it altogether.
What is Oral Cancer?
Cancer of the mouth, also known as oral cancer, may affect the inside as well as the outside of the mouth. Oral cavity cancer and oropharynx cancer are divided into two categories. The oral cavity can be affected by cancer of the lips, gums, inside of the cheeks, two-thirds of the tongue, the floor of the mouth, and the hard palate. Your soft palate, the back of your tongue base, your tonsils, and the back of your throat can be affected by oropharyngeal cancer.
Mouth Cancer Symptoms
There is a particularly high risk of oral cancer going unnoticed until it's in a late stage. In part, this is due to the absence of a national screening policy for oral cancer. Only about 25% of people who regularly visit the dentist say they've had a screening. Additionally, early warning signs can go undetected because they may look like other, non-emergent problems. The signs and symptoms of oral cancer may include persistent mouth ulcers and lip sores, numbness in the lips, mouth, throat, or ears, a lump or growth inside the mouth, difficulty eating or speaking, and loose teeth. These symptoms do not necessarily indicate oral cancer. Many of these problems can be attributed to mouth infections or common mouth sores, both of which could be caused by various factors. When you become aware of these issues, it's important to pay close attention. In case they don't heal in 14 days, contact us for an appointment. We will conduct a biopsy if we suspect oral cancer. The biopsy would be sent to a lab for further analysis.
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Gary J. Jacky, DMD