Oral cancer may not be that common in Australia, but a minority of residents still suffer from it. According to an article published by the RACGP, the number continues to rise by 3% yearly. Oral cancer is an umbrella term for cancers involving the tongue, mouth, or throat. If left unchecked, it could be life-threatening, which is why early detection and regular screenings are crucial.
What causes mouth cancer?
Doctors aren’t too sure of what really causes the development of mouth cancer, but what they do know is that there are some factors that contribute to it. Some medical professionals attribute it to the following:
- Tobacco and too much alcohol consumption.
- Viruses like the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Too much exposure to the sun.
- Gum disease and poor oral hygiene.
- Family history of oral cancer.
- Radiation exposures.
What role do dentists play in detecting oral cancer?
Dentists are at the forefront of detecting oral cancer; they do more than keep cavities away from your pearly whites and prevent bad breath. If you attend your regular dental checkups, then you should be aware that your resident dentist also conducts oral cancer screening on top of professionally cleaning your teeth and checking for potential oral issues. Their work doesn’t end there because Toorak Dentists and other dental professionals also provide education on the early signs and symptoms of oral cancer as well as counseling about risk factors.
The he screening for oral cancer is subdivided into three steps:
Visual examinations. As the name suggests, the dentists will identify any visual indicators that you may be suffering from possible oral cancer. They would be on the lookout for sores, red or white patches, as well as lesions and other abnormalities in the mouth, tongue, lips, gums, and throat.
Palpitation screening. After visually examining you, the dentist would proceed to check your throat and mouth for any lumps and other abnormalities.
Fluorescence screening. Finally, during this screening, dentists use a special light that differentiates healthy tissues from abnormal ones; abnormal tissues appear white while healthy ones are darker.
Depending on the findings, patients may require more screening to verify if the findings are normal or not, hence the importance of heading straight to emergency dentist Toorak at the first sign of abnormality. The sooner you are diagnosed, the faster your dentist can refer you to a specialist like an oncologist or oral surgeon to get treatment started ASAP.
What are the symptoms of oral cancer?
Oral cancer has a lot of symptoms, but its severity depends on how advanced the sickness is. Early symptoms of oral cancer are pretty mild, which consist of the following:
- White or red patches in your mouth.
- Mouth sores that won’t go away and last for more than three weeks.
- Difficulty in swallowing and speaking.
- A hoarse voice.
- A pain in the mouth that doesn’t go away.
For the advanced symptoms, oral cancer patients may experience the following:
- Difficulty in opening/closing the mouth and chewing.
- Hypersensitivity, numbness, or pain in the mouth or pain along the tongue, lips, or jaw.
- Lockjaw.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Dentures that don’t fit anymore.
How early detection contributes to smoother treatment.
Like with every other disease, early detection is paramount; with cancer, it’s always a race against time to combat this illness because the earlier it’s discovered in its early stages, the more treatment options are more effective and less invasive.
Improved treatment outcomes. As mentioned earlier, the faster oral cancer is diagnosed, the more chances of beating it and using less invasive treatments. Suppose the tumor is in its early stages. In that case, surgical removal is ideal, but patients who have advanced oral cancer symptoms may need to undergo radiation therapy to shrink the tumor. It really depends on how much the cancer has progressed, so it’s best to consult with a specialist.
Survival rates are higher. Oral cancer can be life-threatening, but the survival rate is pretty high, assuming it’s diagnosed early on. There are also a couple of factors that affect a patient’s survival rate, such as the tumor’s location, the patient’s age, and how they respond to the treatment.
There’s less need for extensive and invasive procedures. Being diagnosed with oral cancer can have a mental and emotional toll on patients, on top of physically suffering from it.
Preservation of oral function. At the beginning stages, cancer patients will find it hard to speak or swallow and even experience a bit of pain. But as the cancer progresses, the patient may start to have difficulty swallowing or moving their mouths. This is why it’s crucial to get checked ASAP once they experience at least one or two early symptoms of oral cancer, so they can save themselves from the struggle of suffering from oral function problems.
Quality of life improves. Most importantly, early screening and detection significantly improve a patient’s quality of life pre-and post-treatment. The earlier the detection, the better the chances of minimizing side effects, allowing a smoother and quicker recovery.
Who should undergo regular oral cancer screening?
While everyone should get themselves checked during their dental visits, there are some patients who have a higher risk of developing cancer than others. The following is a list of patients who would benefit from frequent screenings:
-
- Patients over the age of 40, especially men. Research shows that men in Australia are more likely to develop oral cancer than women.
- Smokers and heavy alcohol consumers. These two are major risk factors for oral cancer development, so if you are a constant consumer of one or both products, get yourself checked regularly.
- Patients with a history of an HPV infection. HPV is known to cause oral cancer, which is why patients who have a history of HPV infection should get themselves screened regularly.
- Individuals with weakened immune systems.
Although not common, oral cancer is a concern we should all be wary of, which is why it’s crucial to attend regular dental checkups. Getting oral cancer screening regularly is part of preventive healthcare because early detection can help significantly improve treatment outcomes, saving patients’ lives. If you or someone you know suspects having cancer, schedule a comprehensive oral screening ASAP.