April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month! We know oral cancer is a scary topic, but it’s worth using this opportunity to learn about the disease and spread knowledge so everyone becomes more aware. Early detection and treatment of oral cancer saves lives.

Oral cancer is exactly what it sounds like: cancer that occurs anywhere in the mouth. It could occur on the tongue, the lips, the gums, the tongue, inside the cheek, or in the roof or floor of the mouth. Every  year, more than 11,000 people die from oral cancer. It’s a truly deadly disease.

Some symptoms include but are not limited to: mouth sores or irritations, red/white patches in the mouth, pain, numbness, change in texture of mucosa, chewing, swallowing, or speaking difficulties, voice changes, feeling as if something is caught in your throat. Please speak to your provider if you have any of these symptoms, immediate referral is preferred, but all lesions that do not heal within two weeks should be investigated further.

The reason oral cancer scores a higher death rate than other more common cancers such as testicular cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, thyroid cancer, cervical cancer, or even skin cancer, is because it often goes undetected until it's become too advanced and has spread to another part of the body.

So what causes this devastating disease? There is no clear answer, but some potential risk factors have been identified. These risk factors include:

• Age: Most patients who develop oral cancer are above the age of 40. If you’re over 40, make sure your doctor checks for signs of oral cancer and that you stay on your dental hygiene regimen.
• Tobacco: Excessive tobacco use, whether in the form of cigarette smoking or tobacco chewing, can be a substantial contributor and cause of oral cancer. So that’s another reason, among many, you should avoid tobacco.
• Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can put you at risk because alcohol converts into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages the body’s DNA and blocks cells from repairing the damage. When paired with tobacco, the dehydrating effects of alcohol make it even easier for tobacco to infiltrate mouth tissue.
• Sun exposure: Your lips need SPF, too! Repeated sun exposure increases your risk of contracting cancer on your lips, especially the lower lip.
• Diet: Not getting all the nutrients you need, from vegetables and fruits for instance, can weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to the disease.

While many of these causes relate to lifestyle choices that we have control over, not everyone who develops oral cancer has these risk factors. Making changes to your lifestyle can be helpful, but please do not ignore potential symptoms because you feel that your lifestyle does not put you at risk.

If you’re concerned about oral cancer, give us a call to talk about a screening. And if you’ve been putting off a visit to our New Brunswick, New Jersey office, now is an excellent time to schedule one. Early detection saves lives so regular visits to the dentist can be the first line of defense against oral cancer!