Mouth cancer or oral cancer can occur anywhere on the surface of the tongue, in the mouth, the lips, inside the cheek, gums, in the roof and floor of the mouth, the tonsils and the salivary glands.
Risk Factors:
- Gender: Oral Cancer is twice as common in men than women. Because, active addiction like alcohol and tobacco has an adverse effect over the health.
- Age: The average age is 62. Two-thirds of the individuals with this disease are over 55.
- Genetics: Some inherited genetic mutations cause different syndromes in the body leading to a high risk of oral cancer.
- Lifestyle: Most of the people with oral cancer are heavy drinkers and consume tobacco. The daily habits are associated with an increased oral cancer risks.
- Ultraviolet light: It is more common amongst the people who work outdoors with a long exposure to sunlight.
Symptoms:
Other mouth cancer signs are –
- Persistent tongue and jaw pain.
- A lump or thickening in the inside of the mouth with a hoarse voice.
- Difficulty in swallowing or chewing.
- Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue.
- Recurring and non-healing ulcers.
- A white or red patch on the gums, tongue and lining of the mouth.
- Sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in the throat which does not go away.
The symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for a cold that will not go away or a persistent sore in the mouth.
Prevention:
To prevent oral cancer:
- Don’t smoke or use any tobacco products and limit alcohol consumption.
- Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet.
- Limit your exposure to the sun. Repeated exposure increases the risk of cancer on the lip, especially the lower lip. When in sun, use UV-A/B blocking sun protective lotions on your skins, as well as your lips.
- See the dentist on a regular basis.
- Conduct a self-exam at least once a month as a part of the mouth cancer treatment.
