WHEN PEOPLE GO TO THE DENTIST, it’s generally because they have a toothache, they need some dental work done, or they want to get their teeth cleaned. Of course your dentist will make sure you don’t have any cavities, but what you may not realize is that regular dental exams could actually save your life. Let’s take a look at why it is important to keep going to the dentist regularly – even if you do not have any teeth!

The Basics of Oral Cancer

Some people think oral cancer is rare, or might not even consider it at all. But approximately 132 individuals are diagnosed with oral cancer each day in the United States alone, and someone dies of oral cancer every hour. It is a particularly deadly cancer – only about half of oral cancer patients survive five years past their initial diagnosis. But what we really want you to remember is that early detection saves lives. When oral cancer is detected early, survival rates increase by 80 to 90 percent!

Do Dentists Check for Mouth Cancer?

One of the services that your Gresham general dentist (if you live in Gresham) will provide at each of your regular appointments is an oral cancer screening. Sometimes your dental provider can catch cancers, diseases, or changes in your body’s health early in your mouth, tongue, lips, teeth, or gums.

Check Out this Video Showing the Process of an Oral Cancer Screening

What Are the Risk Factors for Oral Cancer?

Unfortunately, we don’t hear as much about oral cancer as we do other cancers, and many people are unaware of their need to get screened on a regular basis at their routine dental exams. The process of getting checked for oral cancer is relatively quick – to the point where many patients don’t even realize it’s happening unless they’re told. Certain habits and activities can put you at a higher risk of developing oral cancer. Familiarize yourself with these risk factors:

• Tobacco use – Smoking and other tobacco use makes you three times more likely to develop oral cancer
• Alcohol consumption – Drinking alcohol more than doubles your risk of oral cancer
• Excessive sun exposure – Frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays increases your risk of developing lip cancer
• Age – Two-thirds of individuals with oral cancer are over age 55

While knowing the risks can help prevent oral cancer, it can still occur in people without any of the above risk factors. In fact, it is becoming increasingly more prevalent among non-smoking, healthy individuals.

The reason for this shift is the rise of HPV, or human papillomavirus, a common sexually transmitted infection. Individuals with HPV are 32 times more likely to develop oral cancer–even more so than tobacco users. Leading causes of mouth cancers tend to be cigarettes, but throat cancers (which are also an oral cancer) are mainly caused by the HPV virus. HPV is a rising epidemic in this country. Fortunately, since 2006, a vaccine has been developed to prevent this virus from taking hold.

What Do Early Stages of Mouth Cancer Look Like?

Oral cancer often begins as a painless sore in the mouth. Which is a good thing about mouth cancer – it can often be seen by a surface examination. We encourage doing frequent self checks at home as well as visiting your dentist regularly, where you will receive routine oral cancer screenings.

An article in The Daily Mail (11/7, Matthews) includes persistent sore throats, difficulty chewing, loose teeth, and a painful tongue among oral cancer symptoms that people may be unaware of. People are encouraged to take these symptoms seriously and seek care from a dentist if experiencing them. The article lists several steps to help reduce the risk of oral cancer, such as receiving the HPV vaccine, avoiding tobacco use, limiting alcohol consumption, eating a healthy diet, using UV protection for your lips, and visiting the dentist regularly.

See a dentist or MD immediately if you experience any lumps, white or red patches, numbness, or a sore that doesn’t heal within two weeks in and around the mouth and throat.

Dental check-ups are not just important for the health of your teeth but for your overall health as well. Regular visits to your general dentist are the first line of defense against this awful disease. Next time you’re in our office, ask us more about how we screen for oral cancer. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have at Main Street Dental Gresham.

Can Oral Cancer Kill You?

Oropharyngeal cancers are a very deadly disease type that if left untreated or undiagnosed in early stages can be fatal. As with all forms of cancer, detecting mouth cancer early through an oral cancer screening with your local dentist improves the odds of survival dramatically.

Who to Talk to in Gresham for an Oral Cancer Screening

If you are in the Gresham area and would like to receive an oral cancer screening as a stand-alone or part of a regular dental cleaning, please contact our office today at 503-665-8283 to set up an appointment.