Ways to spread this awareness
The term ‘oral cancer’ is quite an acquaintance for people of all ages. The reason is the statutory warnings that are nowadays mandatorily visible in all tobacco product packages. Oral cancer awareness is no longer a day’s campaign now (spreading awareness via different media on World Cancer Day). It is listed as a priority for lawmakers across the globe today. Even the act of smoking displayed in any audiovisual media today is tagged with the statutory warning that appears on the screen!
Anyone of you out there, who has dug deeper into the issue of oral or mouth cancers? A precise overview of the issue…
Oral cancer belongs to a larger group of cancer that develops in the tissues of the mouth or the throat region. The superset, that is, the larger group is ‘head and neck cancers’. The age group that gets affected the most (according to primary data collected) is 40 to 60 years. The worst part of oral cancer is that in its initial stages, it tends to remain dormant. Symptoms don’t trouble the patient, which is why he/she does not resort to a medical check-up! When such cancers spread up to the lymph nodes of the throat or neck area, it is usually detected.
When do you need to be alert?
So, some of the early and minor symptoms, (that might seem insignificant) that you should not ignore are:
- Small white or red patches anywhere in your mouth, be it lips, gums, or your tongue
- Any lump in the throat region
- Pain in the jaws or gum area that persists
- An earache that does not tend to go away
- Pain or difficulty in swallowing
- Any mass noticed anywhere in your entire mouth
See your dentist immediately
In short, any small irritation in your oral area, especially if it tends to persist for days and weeks together, calls for attention. This awareness infused among the masses would generate real oral cancer awareness! In case any symptom pops up a simple biopsy (tissue biopsy) from the affected area (the tumor, growth, or lession) informs the doctor whether the cells are cancerous. At our Smiles of Virginia, Dr. Neil Oestervemb, a well-known dentist, follows some check-up protocols to detect the metastasis rate of the cells in that area. Curability depends upon which stage oral cancer is passing through.
To learn about the signs and symptoms of oral cancer, reach us or schedule a consultation today!