Education

Thoughts and Concerns about Oral Cancer

After the hygienist cleans and polishes your teeth, you know that your visit is not finished until Dr. Chomas completes his examination. During the exam, most realize that the doctor carefully checks for tooth decay and periodontal disease. A part of the exam that often goes unnoticed is the oral cancer screening, where the doctor looks for unusual blemishes, sores or swellings throughout the mouth, throat and lips.

There are around 35,000 new cases of oral and oropharyngeal cancers found every year in the United States. While it may not sound like many, it is a particularly dangerous form of cancer. Of those 35,000, only half will be alive in 5 years.

Traditionally, oral cancers have been considered a man's disease with the ratio of men to women being 6 to 1. The primary risk factors have been tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption. These risk factors are changing and expanding. The ratio of men to women is now 2 to 1. The increase in oral cancer in women is attributed in part to increased tobacco use, as well as the increase and spread of the Human Papilloma Virus.

25% of all new diagnoses (in both men and women) have been linked to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), most notably the viral strains HPV 16 and HPV 18. HPV can spread from one person to another through sexual transmission in the cervix as well as the throat and mouth.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the signs and symptoms of oral cancer include:

A mouth sore that fails to heal or that bleeds easily.
A white or red patch in the mouth that will not resolve
A lump, thickening, or soreness in the mouth throat or tongue
Difficulty in chewing or swallowing food

Early detection of oral cancer can provide life-saving benefits to patients, while enhancing treatment success and survival rates. Regular, routine exams by dentists and physicians, coupled with reducing the above mentioned risk factors, are the best first lines of defense against this life threatening disease.

If you have any concerns or questions about oral cancer, or any dental problems, please do not hesitate to call our office to schedule a visit, or you may send us an inquiry at drdale@drchomas.com.

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