It's time to focus on Oral Cancer this month. At Jacques Dentistry, we routinely perform oral cancer screenings on all of our patients. Early detection is the key! The statistics on oral cancer unfortunately have not improved -- mainly due to the common incidence of late diagnosis.
Here are some alarming facts about oral cancer:
Over 43,000 people will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year.
Oral cancer will cause over 8,000 deaths this year, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day.
Of those 43,000 individuals newly diagnosed this year, only slightly more than half will be alive in 5 years.
The death rate associated with oral cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development.
The advent of HPV is preventing early discovery of oral cancer. HPV particularly affects the posterior part of the mouth (oropharynx, tonsils, base of tongue), which often does not produce visible lesions or discolorations that are the typical warning signs of the disease.
For individuals over 50 years old, tobacco (in any form) is the greatest risk factor. Historically, at least 75% of diagnosed patients over 50 years old have been tobacco users. HOWEVER, this statistic is changing with the advent of viral causes.
Those who use tobacco and heavily consume alcohol have a significant increased risk of oral cancer (15x greater risk), due to the detrimental synergistic effects.
Be on the lookout for any sores or discolored areas in your your mouth that do not heal within 14 days. It is best to have these areas examined by your dentist. Also be aware of any lumps or masses in the mouth or neck, pain or difficulty swallowing, speaking, or chewing, wart-like masses, hoarseness which lasts for a long time, or any numbness in the oral-facial region. A persistent earache in one ear can also be a symptom.
Be aware of signs and symptoms in your body and don't hesitate to get screened by your Greenville SC dentist at Jacques Dentistry! Early detection is the key!
