ORAL CANCER : AWARENESS AND PREVENTION

Oral cancer or Cancer of mouth and jaws ranks amongst the top three most common cancers in India.

Unfortunately, the Indian population doesn’t know much about it as education regarding the subject is scarce even though awareness about oral health, in general, is gradually rising.

While cancer is certainly a scary word, there is no need to be scared. All we need is good awareness and regular visits to our trusted Oral Surgeon to rule out the risk and to manage the condition at the earliest if the need be.

Oral Cancer Causes

Tobacco chewing, Cigarette smoking, Alcohol consumption

While these three evils certainly are commonly known as agents that put us at risk of oral cancer, we as a society have failed to remove them completely out of the system. Tobacco is still widely used and easily available in the Indian market and surprisingly a lot of educated people fall for the trap. While the habit may seem tough to quit at first, it just needs a strong will power and a little love for your own life to overcome the habit.

Areca nut (supari)

Commonly found in paan and related products is a culprit that very few are aware of. As dental practitioners, we come across numerous cases of areca nut consumption who have developed potentially dangerous conditions in their mouths known as Oral Submucous Fibrosis which leads to an inability in opening mouth. While the conditions are curable in early stages, effort must be made to stop the intake altogether.

Genetic Conditions

Some people may have very good dietary and social habits and still can be susceptible to oral cancer due to their genetic makeup. Some inherited genetic makeup carries a high risk of mouth cancer. Such as Fanconi anemia and  Dyskeratosis Congenita are syndromes that may cause mouth cancer at an early age.

While genetics cannot be changed, there are numerous sophisticated diagnostic techniques available nowadays to identify and nip the problem in its bud.

Persistent Trauma

Cheek bite due to sharp edges of teeth, long-standing infections, ignored cavities, gum disease, painful wisdom teeth, etc can many times lead to risky conditions.

Any infection in the oral cavity is certainly not healthy as that is the gateway for our food to go into our system.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Nutritional Deficiency such as Vitamin A Deficiency & Vitamin B12Deficiency has been noticed to weaken our oral tissues. While evidence of any direct link with cancer is still being investigated, it’s always advisable to have a healthy lifestyle and take care of the nutrient intake in our diet. A bunch of green leafy vegetables, some fruits, and a good intake of healthy fluids daily can go a long way in supplementing our bodies naturally.

Viral Infection

HPV or Human Papilloma Virus is known to cause warts and also known to be directly associated with high-risk factors for mouth cancer.

Oral Cancer Signs and Symptoms

• Ulcers in the mouth which do not heal
• Red and White spots in mouth
• Limitation in mouth opening
• Persistent bleeding from the mouth
• Lump or Swelling in mouth or neck
• Pain in mouth
• Change in voice
• Earaches
• Tingling or altered sensations on lips

Oral Cancer Prevention Tips

In case you identify any red spots, white spots, ulcers, swelling, pigmentation, or any abnormal changes in your mouth, there is no reason to panic. The simplest way to follow is to visit your Oral Surgeon and get a thorough check-up done.

There are so many conditions that can cause these symptoms. Dentists and Oral surgeons come across so many patients scared that they may be suffering from oral cancer if they notice an ulcer inside their mouth.

While it’s sensible to be worried and visit the dentist at the earliest, more often than not, these are common treatable conditions.

The simplest factor to take care of is your routine oral & dental health.

To conclude, we as a society must pledge to dislodge oral cancer from its third rank in our country. Let’s educate ourselves, our families, our friends, and our society and eliminate this evil altogether. A few simple steps will definitely make us emerge as the winner in the battle against oral cancer.