What is Oral Cancer?
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of the cells of a particular site of the body. Oral cancer falls in the category of the head and neck cancer and is a cancerous condition in the oral cavity. The primary cause is usually a lesion in the oral cavity. It can also occur by metastasis which can occur from a distant site of origin. Moreover, the extension of a neighboring anatomical structure like nasal cavity can also lead to oral cancer. Apart from this, oral cancer can also occur on other parts like salivary glands, lymphoid or tonsillar tissue as well as nearby pigment cells in the oral cavity.
After knowing about oral cancer, there come a major task to spot and diagnose oral cancer minutely. A dentist can spot oral cancer by a process of steps. Usually, in oral cancer, skin lesions and ulcers do not resolve till 14 days and dentist has to look for the signs and symptoms in the following locations:
- On the tongue, lip
- Mostly pale colored and small in size
- White patch (leukoplakia) or red patch (erythroplakia) at early stages
- Initially painless; burning sensation in advanced stages can be felt
- Behind wisdom tooth and even behind ear
- Tongue problems, mouth sores, swallowing difficulty
The risk factors for oral cancer:
- Smoking: Cigarette or cigar smokers are six times more prone to development of oral cancer than non-smokers.
- Tobacco: Tobacco users are 50 times more prone to develop cancer of cheek, gums, tongue as well as lips.
- Excessive consumption of alcohol: Alcohol to a minimal limit does not have adverse effects on the body but with an increase in the drinking can lead to cancers of the oral cavity.
- Heredity: If a family history of cancer exists then the individual has a greater chance to get oral cancer.
- Excessive sun exposure: In young age, you should try avoiding direct exposure to sun rays especially in summer.
Chemotherapy is mainly done to prevent any kind of cancer. It’s advisable to visit your dentist as soon as you find some unusual feeling in your oral cavity. This will help the dentist to diagnose and provide a correct treatment before reaching the advanced stages of cancer.
Here are some prevention methods for oral cancer:
- Don’t smoke in an excessive way and keep drinking to moderation.
- Stick to a well balanced and scheduled diet.
- Limit your exposure to the sun so that you can keep yourself away from skin diseases too.
