What to Know About Oral Cancer
By Imran Ali May 13, 2023 Update on : May 13, 2023
Oral cancer or widely known as mouth cancer is a cancer that occurs on the inside of the mouth. It can affect one’s lip, tongue, cheeks, mouth, soft or hard palate, or any other part of your mouth. It is very common among the sexagenarian or the older people. It is very crucial to stay alert about the matter. According to health experts, oral cancers form when cells in the lips or mouth develop mutations that cause them to grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor. Oral care is very important. Here we will discuss some of the risk factors, symptoms, and preventive measures of oral cancer.
Risk factors of oral cancer-
Tobacco use:
Tobacco use can be the top reason for oral cancer as it has many health hazards for the body, especially for your mouth. Chewing tobacco or smoking can cause cancer in the cheek, gums, and lips. Tobacco and some of the chemicals contained in tobacco are very harmful to oral health. You must be very careful about the matter.
Alcohol consumption:
Alcohol consumption is injurious to health, especially to the mouth. Alcohol increases the risk of cancer. It damages cells in your mouth and body and helps develop the risk of mouth cancer. Smoking and drinking together enhance the risk of mouth cancer by many times.
Poor oral hygiene:
Good oral care can brush aside the risks of oral cancers. Regular brushing your teeth and flossing can keep bacteria under control. Poor oral hygiene means bacterial infections are most likely to stay in your mouth, which can lead to oral cancer. Besides, mouth soreness and loss of teeth are very common effects of bad oral hygiene.
Family history:
If someone has a family history of oral cancer, he or she has a higher risk of suffering from the disease. Genetic mutation can cause a risk of oral cancer in many people.
Sharp or rough teeth:
Many people may have injuries from their poorly fitted dentures, sharp teeth, etc. These injuries can irritate, and other oral problems, including oral cancer. If you have wounds in your mouth for a long time, you should be careful about it as it may cause mouth cancer.
Some symptoms of mouth cancer–
There are some common symptoms of oral cancer. They are- mouth sores that don’t heal, persistent mouth pain, difficulty swallowing or chewing, changes in speech, lump or thickening in the cheek, tongue, or neck, and white or red patches on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth, etc.
Preventive measures—
There are some preventive measures for oral cancer. If you follow some guidelines regularly, you will have less risk of oral cancer than others. Let’s see some of them.
Avoid using tobacco:
Tobacco use is very harmful to your health. You should stop smoking and use all sources of tobacco forthwith to keep your oral health good and lower the risk of oral cancer.
Practice good oral hygiene:
You should brush your teeth regularly. You can use good quality mouth freshener. Do not treat any soreness carelessly.
Limit alcohol consumption:
You should lower your alcohol consumption considering your oral health. The chemicals in liquor can damage your teeth and cause oral cancer. You should be careful about the matter.
Get checked up regularly: You should go through a regular check-up to monitor your oral health. If you feel any problem, you should consult a dentist immediately.
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