Cancer can develop in any part of the body, including in the mouth. Oral cancer, also commonly referred to as mouth cancer, is incredibly common and can affect the mouth, tongue, tonsils, and throat. In fact, more than 50,000 people will be diagnosed with some type of oral cancer every year. The good news is that oral cancer doesn’t have to be deadly. If oral cancer is diagnosed by your dentist in Tinley Park early enough, treatment can often be successful
Oral Cancer Signs & Symptoms
The hard part about diagnosing oral cancer often comes from the fact that some of the early signs of oral cancer can easily be confused with other oral health conditions. However, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so if any of the signs and symptoms below don’t go away within 2-3 weeks, we recommend scheduling an appointment with your dentist in Tinley Park as soon as you can.
Check Your Mouth
While regular checkups with your dentist are certainly important, there are things you can do at home to proactively check for early signs of oral cancer or other symptoms of tooth trouble. Keep an eye out for any new tooth sensitivity, bleeding, or sores in the mouth. Additionally, check in with the Check Your Mouth initiative to help you identify potential abnormalities in the mouth.
Oral Cancer Risk Factors
Even though oral cancer can happen to anyone at any time, there are some things you can do to lower your risk of developing this serious and sometimes deadly disease. Keep in mind that some factors are genetic, but others can be controlled.
Oral cancer is a tricky thing, and the best way to protect yourself against it is to see your dentist in Tinley Park twice a year. Like many oral health problems, oral cancer is best and most successfully treated when it’s caught early.