PUBLISHED ON 04/02/21
Thursday 4 February is World Cancer Day, an international day aimed at raising awareness and education of different types of cancer. Most people don’t associate dentists with diagnosing cancer, but signs and symptoms of mouth cancer are often first detected by your dentist; another reason why regular dental check-ups are important.
For those that don’t know, mouth cancer refers to any cancer occurring in areas of the mouth, including the lips, gums, inner cheek lining, tongue, tonsils, and the roof and floor of the mouth. These fall into the category of head and neck cancers, and are treated similarly.
Some people are at higher risk of mouth cancer than others; risk factors include high tobacco and alcohol consumption, human papillomavirus (HPV), epstein-barr virus (EBV), high sun exposure, family history, poor dental hygiene, or a weakened immune system.
Symptoms of mouth cancer can include the below; if you’ve been experiencing some of these for more than two weeks, we recommend you book a check-up with us.
– A lip or mouth sore that doesn’t heal
– Loose teeth
– White/red patches inside the mouth
– Difficulty or pain swallowing
– Growth/lump inside the mouth or on the neck
– Bleeding or numbness around the area
The first diagnosis will often come from your dentist or general practitioner; they may then refer you to a specialist for additional tests such as an MRI, CT scan, endoscopy, biopsy or x-ray.
Depending on the stage and spread of the mouth cancer, treatment options can include:
– Surgery
– Chemotherapy
– Radiation therapy
During or after treatment you may need to see other specialists such as a speech pathologist, plastic surgeon or dietician.
There are several things you can do to minimise your risk factor of developing mouth cancer:
– Reduce or stop smoking tobacco
– Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
– Protect your lips from sun exposure
– Have regular dental check-ups
If you have any questions or concerns, we always recommend that you come in for a dental examination so we can thoroughly examine your teeth and mouth.