October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, however we know cancer can come in many forms and can affect lives in different ways. Check with us daily as we will highlight a different cancer every day for the rest of October: Oral Cancer Did you know almost 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral and throat cancers this year? And that the 5-year survival rate of those diagnosed is only slightly more than 64 percent? When cancer is detected and treated early, treatment-related health problems are reduced. The oral cavity includes your lips, cheek lining, gums, front part of your tongue, floor of the mouth beneath the tongue and the hard palate that makes up the roof of your mouth. The throat (pharynx) starts at the soft part of the roof of your mouth and continues back into your throat. It includes the back section of your tongue as well as the base where the tongue attaches to the floor of your mouth. During your dental visit, your dentist can talk to you about your health history and examine these areas for signs of mouth and/or throat cancer. The screening will consist of a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck. Regular visits to your dentist can improve the chances that any suspicious changes in your oral health will be caught early, at a time when cancer can be treated more easily. In between visits, its important to be aware of the following signs and symptoms and to see your dentist if they do not disappear after two weeks. To learn more: mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/o/oral-cancer
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:40:58 +0000