Oral cancer is the abnormal development of cells that usually occurs on the lips, especially the lower lip, throughout the mucosal region within the mouth, the back of the throat, the tonsils or the salivary glands.
This type of disease usually affects people over 40 years of age and who usually expose themselves to risk factors such as smoking or chewing tobacco, which account for 80 to 90% of the cases, and excessive consumption of alcohol. alcoholic beverage.
Early diagnosis is critical to the success of treatment, and it is therefore essential to make regular appointments with a dentist, as he is a properly trained professional to identify changes that are imperceptible to us and may be serious.
Many people do not consider frequent dental analysis important and, not being able to recognize symptoms quickly, end up aggravating the disease and reducing the chances of treatment.
Because of this late diagnosis, 50% of people with oral cancer have a survival rate of up to five years.
Mouth Cancer Symptoms
- Sore on the lips, gums or inside the mouth, which bleeds easily and does not heal;
- A lump or swelling in your cheek that you feel as you pass your tongue;
- Loss of sensation or numbness in any part of the mouth;
- White or red spots on the gums, tongue or any other part of the mouth;
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing;
- Pain for no apparent reason or feeling that something is stuck in your throat;
- Change in voice.
Oral Cancer Diagnosis
The dentist examines the inner portion of the mouth thoroughly for whitish or reddish lesions. If any abnormalities are detected, he will scrape off some cells and send them to a laboratory for analysis under a microscope to check if it is malignant or benign.
An endoscopy exam may also be recommended to check if the tumor has spread through the digestive system.
Oral Cancer Treatment
If it is identified that the oral tumor is benign, the patient should make regular visits and examinations to see if there is no malignancy. If it is malignant, cancer removal surgery will be performed by a team of healthcare professionals, including a dental surgeon and an oncologist.
After surgery the patient should undergo radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment treatment.
If radiotherapy, the patient will have some side effects, because the radiation will sensitize the region, causing irritation, dryness, difficulty swallowing, loss of taste and susceptibility to caries.
To alleviate post-radiotherapy suffering, follow-up with a dentist and oncologist should be followed and routines such as using a soft toothbrush after meals and flossing daily, avoiding condiments, sugar and harsh foods such as raw vegetables, nuts and cookies dry, do not smoke or consume alcohol.
Prevention
To prevent oral cancer, Dr. Sergio Dias, dentist, says: “Do not smoke any cigarettes, do not chew tobacco, avoid alcohol, especially beers and spirits, keep a diet high in fiber, remember to Protect your lips with sunscreen, watch out for mouth injuries and visit your dentist regularly if you want to escape the possibility of developing oral cancer.
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