Oral Cancer Screening: The Importance of Early Detection

Some diseases do not manifest themselves in the early stages and are hidden dangers. One of them is oral cancer. This is a fatal ailment that goes unnoticed most of the time, yet it is a cause that is killing thousands of people around the globe.

The foremost and positive angle regarding oral cancer is that screening significantly contributes to early diagnosis and, therefore, can save lives. In this informative article, readers will learn about the purpose of oral cancer screening, its mechanism, and essential prevention tips.

What is Oral Cancer?

Oral or Mouth cancer is a type of tumor that develops in any part of the mouth lining. This may be ulcerative, forming sores, swellings, lumps, or thick patches in the mouth or throat. The best way to fight mouth cancer is to detect it in the early stages since this will help increase mobility and chances of survival.

The following are possible early indicators of oral cancer:

• Red or white spots appear on the upper and lower lips or the mucous membrane of the mouth.
• Neck stiffness – A shooting chest pain or pressure in the neck área
• Mouth or tongue numbness, pain, or tenderness.
• Inability to move lower jaw or tongue, chew food, swallow, or speak respectively.
• Chronic sore throat or altered voice.

What Puts Someone at Risk?

Tobacco and alcohol use. Any kind of tobacco use, such as cigarettes, is dangerous for you. High alcohol consumption also contributes to it. Tobacco with alcohol is much more hazardous than having either substance independently.

Age: Risk increases with age. Oral cancer is common among people more than 40 years of age.

Why is Oral Cancer Screening Necessary?

Oral cancer screening is essential as it helps identify and prevent a deadly disease. Here’s why it’s so important:

Timely Detection
Oral cancer screening makes it easy to detect the disease early enough, which is the key to successfully controlling it. Once pathologists detect mischievous tissues or lesions, they can treat them effectively, increasing the probability of effective treatment.

Reducing Mortality
It is said that there is no better way of minimizing the mortality rate of oral cancer than through routine examinations. In case the oral cancer has progressed to the later stages, there are limited chances of the treatments that can be offered, and the overall expected survival rate is poor.

On the other hand, detection during routine screenings is associated with less aggressive treatment, improved patient values of life, and even extended life spans.

Enhancing Awareness

Besides the traditional benefits of oral cancer screening, awareness about the disease is also created. If patients know the need to do these screenings, they will be forced to go for more dental checkups and proper oral hygiene. This consequently encourages prevention and subsequently controls oral cancer.

Empowering Patients

Oral cancer screening educates the patient about his own body. Once they are told the importance of screening and the risks related to oral cavity cancers, they can change their lifestyle to avoid those risks. It can involve such behaviors as smoking cessation, reducing alcohol intake, and improving the regular diet.

Early Detection of Oral Cancer: Does It Matter?

The best strategy for managing oral cancer is usually early diagnosis. The disease diagnosed at stage I has a favorable prognosis with a reported five-year survival rate of 85 % when treated. In any case, death expectancy increases if it is identified later in the advanced phase.

Benefits of Early Detection:

• Early detection enables mannerly and more efficient treatment approaches.
• Such changes enhance the likelihood of successful treatment and guarantee the patient better indicators of survival.
• Improved quality of the patient’s life both during the treatment process and post-treatment.
• Initial-stage therapies are less costly.
• Reducing the risk and possibility of side effects.
• Maintenance of maximal oral and facial functions, including speech and ability to swallow food.
• Reduced psychological burden on patients and their families to the extent that it affects their health.
• A more informed population leads to fewer incidences of risky behavior and healthy choices.

By screening patients early, more of them will be cured, thus negating the advanced stages at which oral cancer is usually diagnosed.

Oral Cancer Screenings: General Procedure

You should note that dentists exercise a specific sequence when conducting an oral cancer screening examination. This process may include:

• Visual Inspection: Dentists examine the condition of the lips, gums, cheeks, tongue, roof, and floor of the mouth for any outward signs of precancerous symptoms, including red and white patches that have an ulcerated look and any lumps.
• Tactile Examination: Dentists utilize their tactical perception as they feel the oral tissues to look for changes in texture, either in consistency or to detect any nodules that are usually not visible.
• Neck and Throat Examination: They also feel the neck and throat for any swollen glands or other abnormalities, as oral cavity cancer may metastasize to lymph nodes of the neck.
• Advanced Technologies: People with dentists may use different technologies like fluorescence imaging to help the dentist assess and check possible areas of concern.

Measures to Avoid Mouth Cancer as a Preventable Disease

There are several steps that you can take to reduce your risk of having oral cancer:

Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Consume fruits and vegetables regularly, as missing those foodstuffs can increase the risk of oral cancer.

HPV Vaccination: HPV is closely associated with oral cancer. Some find it helpful to take an HPV vaccine in an try to save you the improvement of oral cancers related to the virus.
Avoid smoking and drinking

Conclusion

Oral cancer may not be detected early, and it is a deadly disease because early stages are hard to detect. But if you see a dentist at least once a year to check for signs of oral cancer and if you give up on unhealthy habits, this cancer may not threaten your life.

Take charge of your mouth, be informed, and pass the information on to your close friends and family. By taking these measures, you’re protecting your teeth and effectively preventing various ailments.

For more information, please contact us at Azle Dental.