While Easter is on everyone’s mind, April is also Oral Cancer Awareness Month. It is dedicated to raising awareness about the risk factors, prevention tactics, and early detection of this potentially life-threatening disease. A little knowledge can go a long way in helping you and those you care about avoid or minimize the harm caused by something that claims at least one life in America every single hour.

What Exactly is Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer can affect any part of the mouth, including the lips, tongue, gums, floor, roof, and throat. Common risk factors include tobacco and alcohol use, human papillomavirus (HPV), poor diet, genetics, and sun exposure. Studies have shown that people with ill-fitting dentures and those who drink extremely hot liquids are also more likely to develop oral cancer.

Keep an Eye Out

The early symptoms of oral cancer include persistent mouth sores, difficulty chewing or swallowing, white or red patches in the mouth, a lump or thickening in the cheek, chronic hoarseness or sore throat, and unexplained weight loss. If left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body and become fatal. Thankfully, not only is the condition very treatable when found early, but there are many ways you can dramatically lower your risk as well.

What You Can Do

Oral cancer prevention strategies include things like maintaining good oral hygiene, avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, eating a healthy diet, getting regular dental checkups, and receiving HPV vaccinations. In addition, dentists and healthcare providers should conduct a thorough head and neck exam during routine checkups to detect any signs. This is why it’s important to keep up with your routine visits—your dentist is looking for more than just cavities!

Overall, increasing oral cancer awareness through education and regular screenings can help save lives by enabling earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments. It’s also important to point out that if you notice any of the symptoms touched on above, you should go ahead and contact your dentist. They will be able to guide you to quickly get the care you need.

About the Practice

Dr. Krysten Jackson and Dr. Eric Parsons are family dentists who both graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. Dr. Jackson completed the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program there, and Dr. Parsons regularly trains to use the latest technology. They have a lot of experience detecting oral cancer as early as possible, and you’ll receive a screening every time you come to see us. To schedule your next appointment at El Reno Family Dentistry or reach out to our team with a question, click here.