Staying Vigilant of Oral Cancer
Posted on 4/25/2022 by Fairmount Dental Center |
 Did you know that oral cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? That's right, although not as popular, a lot of people are ailing from this. This post will teach you about oral cancer and what to do if you think something may be wrong with your mouth.
What is Oral Cancer?
There are many types of cancer, and oral cancer is one of them. Oral Cancer begins when cells in the mouth become abnormal and grow uncontrollably. It can affect any area inside or outside your mouth: lips, gums, tongue, etc. These cancers usually start as a small red lesion that may go unnoticed for months before they turn into an ulcer (i.e., open wound). Oral cancers are usually painless at first, which makes them challenging to diagnose. This is why you must visit us regularly!
Signs of Oral Cancer
To catch oral cancer in its early stages, it's essential to know the signs. Some of these symptoms include a red or white spot on your tongue, gums, tonsils, and lips. You may also notice that you have trouble swallowing or feel an unexplained lump inside your mouth. Unfortunately, because many cancers are painless at first, there is no sure-fire way for patients to detect the disease until they see their dentist.
That being said, if any of these symptoms do appear, we highly recommend that you book an appointment with us if they still don't go away in a few days! If left untreated oral cancer could end up destroying a part of your face and eventually kill you. The earlier this type of cancer is diagnosed, the better chance a patient has for survival.
Treatment for Oral Cancer
Luckily, oral cancer is a very treatable disease. If you catch it early enough, we can remove the abnormal cells and tissue with surgery or radiation therapy. In some cases, chemotherapy may be necessary to slow down or stop tumor growths from appearing in your mouth! We also prescribe pain medication for any discomfort you experience during treatment.
After an initial consultation, we will determine which course of action would benefit our patients most in treating their form of oral cancer- whether that's surgery, radiation therapy, chemo, etc. We'll continue with that plan until all signs have disappeared completely!
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to (company) on (number), and we'll be glad to assist in any way we can.
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