Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Learning And Keep Away From The Common Causes Of Oral Cancer

By Jenny Sykes

Oral cancer is a debilitating and often deadly disease that affects nearly 36,000 Americans each year. Sadly, only about half of those people survive the next five years.

All varieties of cancer are serious and the earlier it's detected and treated the better. Oral cancer is particularly aggressive if found in its latter stages and left untreated. It can quickly spread to the lungs or lymph nodes.

Sadly, once the disease has spread it becomes resistant to treatment and can be deadly.

One of the difficulties with oral cancer is that it can be hard to detect yourself. That's why it's important to get a check up every six months to a year. Some people never even now they have oral cancer until it's too late because it isn't always symptomatic.

Some people do get warning signs, however, and they should pay attention to them. They include: a lump around the mouth, sores on the mouth that bleed, trouble chewing or swallowing, sensitivity in your mouth or near your lips and hoarseness.

Often patients that have oral cancer are smokers, heavy drinkers or chew tobacco. This isn't the case with everyone, however. It has been known to occur in people who don't follow the established behavior patterns that make you prone to getting the disease.

For the best prevention, be sure to visit the dentist regularly and have an oral exam. This is especially important if you are older than 45. Your dentist is trained to see the warning signs. These visits can save your life.

If you smoke or chew quit. Tobacco products only will harm your body and may increase your chances of getting oral cancer. Eat a healthy diet, limit your intake of alcohol and stay out of the sun. Take these steps and it may decrease your risk of getting oral cancer.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment