One person dies from oral cancer nearly every hour of every day.
Reasons to get screened for oral cancer:
- Early detection is vital for successful prevention and treatment of oral cancer-it could save your life!
- Oral cancer can disfigure the face and neck
- It is proven to detect oral lesions-even lesions that are not visible
- The procedure is painless and takes only minutes
- HPV (Human papillomavirus) has been linked to oral cancer and is on the rise
- Our digital camera allows us to document the findings for records and to ensure accurate treatment
- Approximately 25% of oral cancer cases have no risk factors
Risk Factors:
- More common in men than women
- Most common in African Americans
- Greater risk after age 35
- Tobacco use
- Frequent alcohol comsumption
- Prolonged exposure to sunlight (lip cancer)
- A diet low in fruits and vegetables
- The sexually transmitted infection HPV
Symptoms:
- Red and/or white patches in the mouth
- Any sores that doesn’t heal within 14 days
- Persistant hoarseness
- Feeling like something is caught in the throat
- Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Ear pain on one side only
- A sore under a denture that doesn’t heal
- A lump or thickening in the mouth or on the neck
Early detection could save your life!
Information provided by The Oral Cancer Foundation. For more information about oral cancer, please log onto the official website at www.oralcancer.org
