Cancer from Poor Dental Health
We have talked a lot about things like gum disease and tooth decay, but there is something very important that we haven’t put enough emphasis on yet, and that is cancer. Cancer in all it’s forms is a potentially fatal and devastating disease that kills an estimated 500,000 Americans a year. Those that do survive being diagnosed with cancer only walk away from it after a long and difficult battle with it. What does this have to do with dental health and care? More than you might suspect.
There is a type of cancer that is labeled “Oral Cancer”. Oral cancer is cancer that can form in any part of the mouth, including the tongue, lips, floor of the mouth, cheeks, palate, sinuses, and the throat. Some of the main causes of oral cancer are many of the same things that can damage teeth. These including smoking, smokeless tobacco, and heavy alcohol consumption. While brushing your teeth can help reduce the risk of developing oral cancer, the best path to take is to restrain from these harmful activities.
Another vital step is to schedule regular appointments with your dentist. Quitting smoking and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum will greatly reduce your chances of getting oral cancer, but not eliminate them completely. Luckily if oral cancer develops in your mouth, a dentist can spot it before it becomes a real threat, and you can begin taking steps to remove it. If you wait too long, it can spread and possibly become fatal. If there is a history of oral cancer in your family, this becomes extremely important, as you might be at a higher risk of developing it.
Until you see your dentist again, keep an eye out for anything odd or out of place in your mouth when you brush. Things to mainly keep an eye out for are spots of red, white, or speckles of both, numbness or pain, sores in or around your mouth that last longer than two weeks, difficulty doing normal things such as chewing, swallowing, or speaking, and the feeling of having something stuck in the back of your throat. These are all possible symptoms of developing oral cancer.
Contact Drs. Costello and Drake at (386) 673-1611 to schedule your next appointment. The best way to stop oral cancer is to be proactive about it. The steps to help prevent it are also key parts of keeping your smile healthy and bright. The recommendation for dental check-ups is once every 6 months. This will give your dentist enough time to catch any signs of cancer early on, while giving suggestions on how to best care for your dental health. If you have concerns before seeing the dentist that you might be developing oral cancer, inform your dentist when you arrive for your check-up.