Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Did You Know?

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month!

Approximately 49,750 people in the United States will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year? That's about 132 people a day and one person will die from it every hour of the day -  24/7/365.

According to the American Cancer Society, the average age of people diagnosed with this type of cancer is 62 years old.  Some risk factors of developing oral cancer can include: smoking of any type, chewing tobacco, excessive consumption of alcohol, family history of oral cancer, excessive sun exposure and the Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Some of the most common symptoms of oral cancer are:
  • Patches in the mouth (White, red or speckled)
  • Bleeding of the mouth
  • Swelling, thickening, bumps or sore spots in the mouth
  • Difficulty chewing and swallowing
  • Sore throat or change in voice
  • Dramatic wight loss
Most dentist due screenings during every oral exam but if you notice any new and unusual spots in your mouth its very important to contact your dentist right away and ask them to do a oral cancer screening.  

Statistics can be found here and here.

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