Approximately 700 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year in Australia. Yet many of us are unfamiliar with the disease—or know that we check for oral cancers during your regular examination, scale and clean. (Early detection is key.) This is another reason why you should commit to regular dental checkups.
VITAL INFO
• Oral cancer is an aggressive disease with a survival rate of only 50% over five years.
• If detected early, survival rates for mouth cancers are as high as 90%.
• Over 700 mouth cancers are detected in Australia each year.
• Oral cancer can affect people of all backgrounds and ages.
• We perform various checks to detect oral cancer during a regular dental examination, scale and clean.
What is oral cancer?
Oral cancer (mouth cancer) refers to any cancer that can occur in or around the mouth. Typical areas include the tongue, cheek, roof or floor of the mouth, tonsils, gums and lips. Mouth cancer must be detected early because early detection of oral cancer has a survival rate of approximately 90%.
How to detect oral cancer
The problem with oral cancer is that it can be challenging to detect in its early stages. Symptoms are not noticeable until the cancer spreads. This is why you must have a dental professional regularly examine your mouth.
Common symptoms of oral cancer include:
• Pain when swallowing
• General pain anywhere in the mouth that does not disappear
• Sores on your lips or gums that don’t disappear
• Lumps inside your mouth
• White or red patches inside your mouth
While it’s essential to look out for the abovementioned symptoms, remember that they may be harmless and entirely related to something else.
How do dentists check for oral cancer?
At Oxford Street Dental, we routinely check for oral cancer in several ways during your regular checkup. At the beginning of your dental exam, we’ll take several X-rays to help identify any signs of cancer. Later, while performing a dental scale and clean, we will manually (and visually) look for unusual signs. We’ll inspect in and around your mouth and check your jaw and neck for any unusual lumps or bumps.
If we detect something abnormal, we may send you to a specialist clinic for a biopsy. Here, they’ll take a small sample of the affected area to test for cancer.
Risk factors for mouth cancers
Several risk factors are associated with mouth cancer, although anyone can develop the disease. Common risk factors include:
• Smoking (or chewing) tobacco
• Drinking alcohol
• Chewing betel quid
• Viral infections, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Long-term immunosuppression
• Being of the male gender
• Family history
Oral Cancer FAQs
How fast can oral cancer spread?
Around 3 to 7% of oral squamous cell carcinoma is spread to a secondary location each year, according to a 2021 review. A 2017 study revealed that it took an average of 10 to 12 months for OSCC (even after treating the primary tumour) to spread either locally, regionally or to a distant structure. Some cancers metastasised within only three months.
What are the early signs of oral cancer?
There are several early signs of oral cancer, including having trouble swallowing, speaking, chewing, or moving your tongue or jaw, feeling that something is caught in your throat, or noticing a change in how your teeth fit together when you bite down. You may also notice numbness, red or white patches, small lumps or bumps, or a sore that bleeds easily or doesn’t heal.
Is oral cancer treatable?
Oral cancer can be treated with a high rate of successful outcomes if detected and treated early. Fortunately, much effort has been dedicated to determining and improving oral cancer treatment in recent years.
What can be mistaken for oral cancer?
Many things that may mimic oral cancer are not cancerous. For example, shingles, canker sores, chickenpox or various inflammatory conditions may mimic cancer.
What percentage of oral biopsies are cancerous?
If your dentist detects something unusual in your mouth, you may be sent to a clinic for a biopsy. Fortunately, over 80% of oral biopsies are negative.
Should oral cancer be taken seriously?
Oral cancer is a serious disease that, if left undetected, can quickly spread (metastasised), with survival rates of only 50% over five years.
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