Take the time to check your mouth for abnormalities. Visit your dental professional for regular appointments so they can check your mouth for signs of oral cancer.
The most common sites to find oral cancer are on the tongue, followed by the lip, floor of the mouth, salivary glands, inside your cheeks, the gingiva, and the palate.
Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop oral cancer. This includes: age, use of tobacco in any form, excessive use of alcohol, chronic irritation of tissues due to ill fitting dentures or fillings, repeated trauma to the mouth and overexposure to the sun.
The key to successful treatment is to recognize the early signs and symptoms.
Early warning signs of oral cancer that you should have checked by a Dental Professional:
-A sore on the lips, gums, or inside of your mouth that bleeds easily and does’t heal.
-A lump or thickening in the cheek that you can feel with your tongue
-Loss of feeling or numbness in any part of your mouth
-White or red patches on the gums, tongue or inside of mouth
-Difficulty chewing or swallowing or unexplained pain in your mouth, or feeling that something is -caught in your throat with no known cause
-Swelling of the jaw causing dentures to fit poorly
-Change in your voice
If you have an area that you would like assessed don't hesitate to schedule an appointment.
Heritage Dental Hygiene 289-868-9374
