Oral Cancer Early detection is key

 Many people think oral cancer is rare and not commonly diagnosed. However, oral cancer will be diagnosed in about 100 new individuals each day in the United States and a person dies from oral cancer every hour of every day.  It is predicted that approximately 42,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer in 2013.  When oral cancer is detected and treated in the early stages of development, there is an 80 to 90 percent survival rate.  Early detection is essential in successful treatment of oral cancer.
Oral cancer can affect any area in the mouth, lips, gum tissue, cheek lining, tongue, jaw and the hard or soft palate and throat.  It often begins as a tiny, unnoticed white or red spot or swelling anywhere in the mouth or throat.  Symptoms of mouth or throat cancer can include sores that bleed easily or do not heal, a thick or hard spot/lump, a roughened or crusted area, numbness pain or tenderness, or a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite down.  Studies have shown that there are two main pathways in which people come to oral cancer.  One is through the use of tobacco products and alcohol. The other pathway is through the exposure to the HPV-16 virus.
During your dental visit, your dentist can speak to you about your healthy history and examine your mouth, lips and throat for lesions or signs of oral cancer.  Regular thorough exams by your dentist will make sure suspicious sores or lesions in the mouth are caught early.  Typically sores in the mouth, like a fever blister, heal within 10 to 14 days.  If a sore in your mouth has not healed after 14 days, you should call your dental provider to have it examined.
For more information, please call Dr. Adrienne Fang, DDS at 661-253-0588 and online at www.drfangdds.com.