According to the American Dental Association, approximately 30,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. Of those diagnosed, two-thirds will be men.
People who use tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco), frequently consume alcohol or do not eat a balanced diet put themselves at greater risk, in some instances by as much as 50 times as someone not engaging in high-risk activities. However, 25 percent of people diagnosed with oral cancer last year did not use tobacco products, consume excessive amounts of alcohol or avoid their vegetables.
Oral cancer, like other more publicized forms of the disease, can strike anyone. Oral cancer kills more people nationwide than either melanoma (skin cancer) or cervical cancer. As with all cancers, early detection will improve the chance of survival.
Dr. Richard J. Galeone, editor of the Pennsylvania Dental Journal wrote in the Journal's special oral cancer issue, "the five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, the survival rate among patients with early diagnosis rises to 80 percent, while those with late diagnosis drops down to 20 percent."
Your dentist will examine your mouth for the early warning signs during your six-month exam. However, dentists recommend you check your mouth monthly. If you notice changes in the appearance of your mouth or any of the following signs and symptoms, contact your dentist immediately:
-- A persistent sore that will not heal and frequently bleeds.
-- A lump, rough spot, crust or small eroded area.
-- Color changes such as the development of red and/or white lesions.
-- Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips.
-- Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue.
