Oral Cancer: Causes and Symptoms

Worldwide, there are 350,000 to 400,000 new cases of oral cancer diagnosed each year. Even with today's medical and dental advances, this number hasn't improved significantly in years. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous for two reasons: 1) it is routinely discovered late in its development and 2) oral cancer patients have a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer even five to ten years after the first diagnosis.

Doctors can't explain why one person gets oral cancer and another doesn't, even when they have the same risk factors. The known risk factors include:

Smoking and Tobacco Use - At least 75% of those diagnosed with oral cancer are tobacco users, including the so-called 'smokeless' tobacco.

Alcohol - Heavy use of alcoholic beverages increases the risk of oral cancer.

Smoking and Alcohol Use Combined - Those who smoke and drink heavily are 15 times more likely to develop oral cancer.

Sunlight - Prolonged exposure to sunlight is a causative factor in lip and skin cancers.

Diet - Studies have shown that a diet low in fruits and vegetables may put you more at risk for oral cancer, and other studies indicate that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may protect against many types of cancer.

The symptoms of oral cancer can be painless or mimic the appearance of other, non-dangerous oral symptoms. For instance, a cancer lesion can look much like a common canker sore. Because the dangerous tissue changes of oral cancer can look and feel like the benign tissue changes that occur normally, it's important to have regular dental check-ups. Your dentist can see or feel many changes in your mouth that may not even be noticeable to you. Some symptoms that should trigger an alarm and a dental visit include:

-A color change in the mouth, including white, red, smooth, or discolored patches

-Ulcer or sore on lips or gums that doesn't heal

-Rough, crusty or eroded spot that doesn't heal

-A lump, mass, thickening inside the mouth or neck

-Bleeding in the mouth (Healthy gums don't bleed! This can also be a sign of gum disease.)

-Loose teeth

-Pain or difficulty in swallowing, speaking or chewing

-Pain or difficulty moving the jaws

-Wart like masses

-Hoarseness that doesn't go away

-Numbness in the oral/facial region

-Change in the way teeth fit together

-Difficulty wearing dentures

-Earache

-Any oral change or soreness that doesn't go away or heal within two weeks

While an infection, gum disease, and many other problems and conditions can cause these same reactions, it's still very important that you see your dentist right away if you experience any of them. If your dentist or doctor decides that an area is suspicious, s/he can perform a biopsy of the area. A biopsy isn't painful or time-consuming and is inexpensive. In the case of oral cancer, a quick, early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death.