Oral Cancer Awareness

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Oral cancer kills one American every hour. Oral cancer has 3 times as many victims as cervical cancer and a low survival rate unless detected early. The good news is that if it is detected early, it can be treated and survival rates increase dramatically. One of the real dangers of this cancer, is that in its early stages, it can go unnoticed. It can be painless, and little in the way of physical changes may be obvious. Regular dental visits are important as your Hygienist or Dentist can, in many cases, see or feel the precursor tissue changes, or the actual cancer while it is still very small, or in its earliest stages. It may appear as a white or red patch of tissue in the mouth, or a small indurated ulcer which looks like a common canker sore. Because there are so many benign tissue changes that occur normally in your mouth, and some things as simple as a bite on the inside of your cheek may mimic the look of a dangerous tissue change, it is important to have any sore or discolored area of your mouth, which does not heal within 14 days, looked at by a professional. Your hygienist does a cancer screening every time you come in. She can also use the Velscope, an oral cancer screening system, to look below the surface for early abnormalities not yet visible to the eye Other symptoms include; a lump or mass which can be felt inside the mouth or neck, pain or difficulty in swallowing, speaking, or chewing, any wart like masses, hoarseness which lasts for a long time, or any numbness in the oral/facial region. Unilateral persistent ear ache can also be a warning sign. - See more at: https://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/#sthash.RMU9Ijr4.dpuf