Oral Cancer Awareness
April is Oral Cancer Awareness month and it is estimated that 43,250 people this year alone will be diagnosed with oral cancer. If detected early, there is a 80-90% survival rate, but left undetected, that rate goes down to 50%. Most cases of oral cancer that are identified are detected by medical and dental technicians. However, in between dental and medical visits, be aware of changes in your mouth and contact your dentist or physician if an abnormality persists for more than two weeks.
7 Potential Signs & Symptoms of Oral Cancer
- Do you have a sore or irritation that doesn’t go away?
- Do you have red or white patches in your mouth?
- Do you have tenderness or the feeling of numbness anywhere in your mouth?
- Do you have difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your tongue or jaw?
- Does your bite feel off?
- If you chew tobacco, do you see irritated skin at the site where you chew?
- Do you have a lump or mass in your mouth or neck?
We hope you found this month’s article informative. If you have any comments or ideas for future articles, please send us an email–we’d love to hear from you. As always, thank you for choosing Fife Dental Care for all of your dental care needs.
Sincerely,
Your Dental Healthcare Team