If it’s been a while since you last went to the dentist for a regular check and clean, you may be putting your health at risk. In fact, some dental studies have even found that bad oral hygiene habits could lead to health issues, including oral cancer.

What is Oral Cancer?

Both healthy and cancerous cells in the body can grow, multiply and die. Cancer cells are abnormal, and they begin to grow and spread. These abnormal cells attack other healthy cells causing damage to the surrounding tissue.

From a dental perspective, the mouth is called the oral cavity, which includes the lips, the inside of your cheeks, teeth, gums, tongue, the bottom and roof of your mouth. Oral cancers in the mouth are generally broken down into the lips, inside the mouth, and the tongue.

Throat cancer is also a type of oral cancer, which is generally found in the back of the tongue, back of the roof of the mouth, the tonsils, and the area in the upper throat.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of oral cancer might be:

• A sore that doesn’t heal.
• A lump that doesn’t go away.
• White or red patches in the mouth.
• Chronic mouth pain and pain in the teeth or jaw.
• Loose teeth.
• Problems with swallowing or chewing.
• Persistent bad breath.
• A lump in the neck.

Risk Factors

To reduce the chances of oral cancer, there are some risk factors that you can control such as:

• Reducing or eliminating the use of tobacco products.
• Cutting back on, or eliminating alcoholic drinks.

If your family has a history of oral cancer, this is all the more reason to visit your dentist on a regular basis.

Dental Visits Can Prevent Oral Cancer

Significant damage can be done to the mouth, teeth, gums, tongue, lips, and throat by oral cancer. If left untreated, it can also spread to other parts of the body. Dentists are trained to look for signs of oral cancer, which is why it’s so important to have your regular check and cleans with Dr Downing. During your visit, we’ll help you create and maintain healthy oral habits which will keep your mouth in the best possible health and reduce the chances of oral cancer.

Typically, we recommend a six-month teeth cleaning for all patients to prevent plaque and tartar buildup, protecting against cavities, gum disease and reducing the risk of oral cancer.

Call us today to schedule your next appointment. All members of the family are welcome, young and old. You’ll love your experience at our state-of-the-art dental clinic, and you’ll walk out with a clean healthy smile!