How to prevent mouth cancer?

 How to prevent mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer, often known as oral cancer or cancer of the oral cavity, is cancer that starts in the region of the mouth.

 Mouth cancer starts in the cells lining the mouth. Damaged cells can then grow uncontrollably to form a tumour. 

The two main risk factors for mouth cancer are alcohol and tobacco, and the combined effect of drinking and smoking is far greater.

 Mouth cancer risk increases as you get older, and men are three times more likely than women to develop the disease. 

Mouth cancer can be treated if diagnosed at an early stage, so it’s important to see your dentist or doctor immediately if you notice any changes in your mouth.

Tobacco and alcohol are responsible for over 75% of mouth cancers, by exposing your mouth to cancer-causing substances (carcinogens).

 If you smoke and drink, your risk of developing mouth cancer is significantly higher. Alcohol may enable other carcinogens, including tobacco, to enter and damage cells.   

Tobacco use includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing. 

If you smoke or chew tobacco, you are twice as likely to develop mouth cancer as a non-smoker. 

Chewing or smoking areca nut, betel quid, pan or gutka also increases your risk. 

Where in the mouth cancer develops depends on how you use the tobacco product. For example, if you have a habit of chewing tobacco on your left cheek, you may be prone to cancer of that cheek. 

Mouth cancer is six times more common in alcohol drinkers than in non-drinkers. The more you drink, the greater the risk.  

Other risk factors include: 

• being over 40 years of age
• being male – men are three times as likely to develop mouth cancer as women 
• sun exposure – ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to skin cancer on the lips
• poor oral hygiene
• being overweight or obese

 Prevention

1. Stop using tobacco or don't start
2. Drink alcohol only in moderation, if at all. Chronic excessive alcohol use can irritate the cells in your mouth, making them vulnerable to mouth cancer
3. Avoid excessive sun exposure to your lips

See your dentist regularly

by,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA.

Oral Cancer ! EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT SAVES LIFE

 ORAL CANCER

Oral cancer or mouth cancer is a cancer of the lining of the lips, mouth, or upper throat. In the mouth.

It can affect lips, tongue, cheeks, the floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

Causes

Smoking. Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancers.

Smokeless tobacco users. Users of dip, snuff, or chewing tobacco products are 50 times more likely to develop cancers of the cheek, gums, and lining of the lips.

Excessive consumption of alcohol. Oral cancers are about six times more common in drinkers than in nondrinkers.

Family history of cancer.

Excessive sun exposure, especially at a young age.

Human papilloma virus (HPV)

It is important to note that over 25% of all oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and who only drink alcohol occasionally.

SYMPTOMS

 It commonly starts as a painless white patch, that thickens, develops red patches, an ulcer, and continues to grow.

• Swellings/thickenings, lumps or bumps, rough spots/crusts/or eroded areas on the lips, gums, or other areas inside the mouth.
  
  
• The development of velvety white, red, or speckled (white and red) patches in the mouth oral cancer
  
  
• Unexplained bleeding in the mouth
  
  
• Unexplained numbness, loss of feeling, or pain/tenderness in any area of the face, mouth, or neck
  
  
• Persistent sores on the face, neck, or mouth that bleed easily and do not heal within 2 weeks
  
  
• A soreness or feeling that something is caught in the back of the throat
  
  
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue
  
  
• Hoarseness, chronic sore throat, or change in voice
  
  
• Ear pain
  
  
• A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together
  
  
• Dramatic weight loss

If you notice any of these changes, contact your dentist or health care professional immediately.

Prevention

There's no proven way to prevent mouth cancer. However, you can reduce your risk of mouth cancer if you:

• Stop using tobacco or don't start.
• If you use tobacco, stop. If you don't use tobacco, don't start.
• Using tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, exposes the cells in your mouth to dangerous cancer-causing chemicals.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation, if at all.
• Chronic excessive alcohol use can irritate the cells in your mouth, making them vulnerable to mouth cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. 
• For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.
• Avoid excessive sun exposure to your lips.
• Protect the skin on your lips from the sun by staying in the shade when possible.
• Wear a broad-brimmed hat that effectively shades your entire face, including your mouth.
• Apply a sunscreen lip product as part of your routine sun protection regimen.
• See your dentist regularly.
• As part of a routine dental exam, ask your dentist to inspect your entire mouth for abnormal areas that may indicate mouth cancer or precancerous changes.

EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT SAVES LIFE

BY,

DR.RENJU T GEORGE,

INDIA