Oral cancer refers to any cancer found in the mouth, lips or throat and is a disease that has roughly 53,000 new cases each year.
Reduce Your Risk Factors Leading to Oral Cancer
As with most cancers, oral cancer can affect anyone, however there are certain risk factors that are higher than others so it’s important to recognize these factors and try to reduce your risk where possible:
Brush and floss after every meal
Visit your Petworth dentist at least twice a year to have a dental exam and cleaning
Reduce your sun exposure, and if you’re in the sun use SPF sunscreen and lip balm
Have a healthy and balanced diet to improve your overall health
Get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination as this is a major risk factor
Don’t smoke and reduce alcohol consumption
Oral Cancer Symptoms
Dr. Fitz and the team at Solstice Smiles Dental are likely the first port of call when it comes to spotting early signs of oral cancer symptoms, therefore it’s imperative that you visit our Petworth dental practice regularly. Every time you visit our dental practice for your cleaning, we carry out a pain-free oral cancer screening (you might not have even noticed that we do this). In between those check ups, there are some key symptoms to look out for when you’re brushing your teeth:
Swelling or lumps in your mouth
White or red patches or sores
Finding it difficult to swallow or chew
Consistent bad breath
Loose teeth
Unexplained sudden weight loss
Pain in the jaw or ear
If you notice any of these symptoms for 1-2 weeks, please get in touch with our team to schedule an appointment!