April is Oral Cancer awareness month

What is Oral Cancer?

Oral Cancer can occur in any part of the mouth; the lips, on the surface of the tongue, inside of the cheeks, in the tonsils, in the salivary glands, and the roof or bottom of the mouth. The Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that over 42,000 people are diagnosed with Oral Cancer every year and 8,000 die annually, that is roughly 1 person per hour in a 24 hour day.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer:


• Sores in the mouth that do not heal
• Jaw pain and jaw stiffness
• Numbness, pain or tenderness
• Teeth loosening and change in the way the teeth fit together.
• Dentures not fitting properly
• Pain while swallowing
• Crusted or rough areas in the mouth
• Lumps or hard spots in the mouth

Visiting your dentist on a regular basis can improve the chances of suspicious changes in your oral health.
Make sure to tell your dentist about any problems you have when chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your tongue or jaw.
If you need to see a dentist or need a check up call Omni Dental Group today to make an appointment 512-250-5012

Causes of Oral Cancer

• Age (most cases are patients over the age of 40)
• Tobacco use (cigarettes or chewing tobacco)
• Excessive alcohol consumption (especially in combination with tobacco use)
• HPV16
• Low consumption of fruits and vegetables

Oral Cancer is 6 times greater to appear in men than in women and more often seen in African Americans than any other ethnic group. There has been no identified genetic links to identify the higher cases in these populations, so lifestyle choices remain the cause.

References:
The Oral Cancer Foundation. (2012). Oral Cancer Facts. Retrieved from http://oralcancerfoundation.org/.