Mouth cancer or Oral cancer appears as lesions or growths inside the mouth that does not disappear even with traditional remedies. Mouth cancer includes cancer of the lips, the tongue, the cheeks, the floor of the mouth, the sinuses and the throat. The mouth cancer symptoms are varied and numerous and can range from a blister on the lip to an earache. Mouth cancer if left untreated will result in death. According to the American Cancer Society, men are more likely to develop mouth cancer symptoms than women and men who are over fifty are especially at risk for this disease.
Mouth cancer symptoms
Mouth cancer symptoms include
- Swelling or distension, lumps, blisters, crusty patches and receding areas on the lips, the gum or inside the mouth.
- Soft white, red or red and white patches inside the mouth.
- Odd or unexplainable bleeding of the mouth.
- Numbness or loss of feeling or pain or tenderness that cannot be explained in the areas of the face, the mouth or the neck.
- Recalcitrant sores on the face, neck or mouth that are easy to bleed and difficult to heal.
- Soreness or a feeling of an obstruction at the back of throat.
- Problems chewing, swallowing, talking or in the movement of the jaw or tongue.
- Hoarseness or a recurring chronic sore throat and a change in the sound of voice.
- Earache.
- Loose teeth.
- A lump in the neck.
- Inability to wear dentures comfortably.
Risk factors
Mouth cancer symptoms affect more men than women and men over fifty are at the greatest risk for mouth cancer symptoms. Other risk factors for Mouth cancer symptoms include:
- Smoking- Smokers of cigarettes, cigars or pipes are 6 times more at risk for mouth cancer than nonsmokers.
- Smokeless tobacco users- Smokers of dip, snuff or people who chew tobacco increase their risk factors by 50!
- Alcoholics- Alcoholics or people who imbibe excessive quantities of alcohol are 6 times more likely to develop mouthcancersymptoms.
- Genetics- A family history of cancer increases the chances of developing mouth cancer symptoms.
- Excessive exposure to the sun- Excessive exposure to the sun increases the risk of developing mouth cancer, especially at a young age.
Treatment
Mouth cancer symptoms are treated in much the same ways that other types of cancers are treated. Surgery is employed to remove cancerous lesions. This is usually followed by chemotherapy to destroy the left over cancer cells not removed by the surgical means.
Prevention
To prevent mouth cancer symptoms from occurring:
- Do not smoke or imbibe alcoholic beverages in excessive quantities.
- Consume only well balanced meals and watch portions.
- Limit the exposure to the sun.
- Perform a monthly self-examination- Use a light and a mirror to examine the lips and gum. Check the mouth, the cheeks and the tongue. Check the throat for lumps, as well as, the lower jaw.
- Visit the dentist regularly.
