Risk Factors For Mouth Cancer You Should Know To Protect Yourself
People are dealing with different kinds of cancer, but if you didn’t know, there is an oral cancer as well, also known as mouth cancer. Oral cancer is characterized by uncotrollable growth of cells in any part of the mouth.
It can appear as a sore on the lips, gum, tongue or cheeks, on the hard and soft palate, as well as on the roof or floor of the mouth. According to one research, 25% of all cancer cases occur in people who don’t smoke and drink limited amounts of alcohol. 81% of people with oral cancer may live for more than one year since developing the disease. The disease has four stages. If left untreated, mouth cancer can endanger life.
Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cancer
A person who experiences sore throat, painful tongue, loose teeth, persistent mouth sores and lumps in the mouth, it can be a sign that that person has oral cancer. Other signs and symptoms include discolored patches inside the mouth, jaw pain or stiffness as well as painful chewing.
Tests and Diagnosis of oral cancer; early stages
If you want to see wheter you have oral cancer or not, just take a bright light and a mirror and look for any sores in front of the gums, lips or other parts of the mouth. If you suspect something, visit an oral specialist immediately. The specialist is more likely to perform an oral cancer screening examination or oral brush biopsy as well as look or feel for any sores, discoloration or growths in parts of the mouth.
Risk Factors for Oral Cancer
There are many factors that can cause oral cancer, but the major ones among all are smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol. However, we cannot downgrade long exposure to the sun, Human papilomavirus and family history of cancer.
Causes of Oral Cancer
Oral cancer can be caused by DNA mutations of cells in the lips and mouth. These mutations cancer cells build up in or around the mouth, forming tumors. The worst thing is that it is not yet discovered what exactly triggers mutations of squamous cells that cause oral cancer.
Prevention
Fortunately, there are some things that depend on us which can prevent mouth cancer, including consuming plenty of fruits and veggies, eating a balanced diet, cutting down on the intake of alcohol and quitting smoking. Moreover, avoiding excessive sun exposure to the lips may also help.
You can cure mouth cancer if it’s detected early. In order to prevent oral cancer, you should conduct a self-exam once per month and visit a dentist every three months for an oral cancer screening exam. In addition, you can try reduce symptoms associated with oral cancer with complementary and alternative therapies such as relaxation, massage therapy and gentle exercises.
