Oral Cancer Awareness Month
Did you know April is oral cancer awareness month? Here are some hard-hitting facts about oral cancer which all of us must know –
- 4,50,000 cases are diagnosed each year worldwide.
- 50,000 cases just in the USA most often in the late stages.
- 9750 people will die from oral cancer this year.
- 1 person dies of oral cancer per hour
- 43% of those diagnosed won’t survive for more than 5 years.
These statistics may look dreadful to read but awareness of what increases the risk of getting oral cancer and early detection of the same can save many lives.
So what are the risk factors in getting oral cancer
- Tobacco – in any form be it cigarettes, vaping, cigars, pipes or even chewing tobacco increases the risk of oral cancer.
- Alcohol consumption especially in conjunction with smoking increases the risk multiple fold.
- Exposure to HPV the sexually transmitted disease. A person with HPV is 30% more likely to get oral cancer than someone not with HPV.
- Other conditions which increase risk are –
- Poor nutrition
- Poor oral hygiene
- Infectious diseases and chronic physical trauma
Oral cancer affects more men than women but early detection is the key. It takes only 2 mins to do a self-exam every month. Follow the following steps –
- Remove any dentures, invisalign or clear correct aligners etc that you may be using.
- Look and feel inside your lips and front of your gums.
- Tilt your head and examine the roof of your mouth.
- Pull your cheek out and inspect it along with gums at the back.
- Pull out your tongue and look at its top and bottom.
- Feel for lumps both sides of the neck and below the lower jaw.
What is it that you need to be on lookout for?
- Red or white patches anywhere in the mouth.
- Lump in the neck.
- Any sores that don’t heal and bleed easily.
- Any thickening of tissues.
- Chronic sore throat or hoarseness.
- Difficulty in swallowing.
80 to 90% of people are likely to survive if oral cancer is detected in the early stages. Hope this helps you become more aware of this issue. Please share this blog with at least one dear one to spread the word.
We at Ensure Dental Care Saginaw Texas are always available to answer any queries that you may have about this. Please call us on 940-274-6181 to walk in to Ensure Dental Care today. We accept all major insurance plans. Follow us on Instagram @ensuredentalcaresaginawtx for more.