Oral Cancer Warning Signs

A silent and extremely deadly disease, oral cancer affects people of all ages and backgrounds, including healthy individuals that might not otherwise have significant medical concerns.

Of course, risk factors can increase your chance of developing oral cancer, such as tobacco use, sun exposure, certain viruses (like HPV) and alcohol.

The best way to combat oral cancer is through early diagnosis. By conducting an oral cancer screening as part of every dental exam we perform in Wantrina South, we know that Studfield Dental Group is doing everything possible to potentially save the lives of our patients.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Sores that don’t heal. Pay attention to areas where a sore never seems to fully heal or get better. This includes areas outside of your mouth, such as your lips and cheeks. Give yourself about 10-14 days to recover; anything longer than that should be examined by our Wantrina South dentists and a possible biopsy conducted.

 

Red, white, or atypical tissue coloration. Do the coral pink tissues of your mouth have patterns that look atypical compared to the ones around them, or more importantly, different than the same area on the opposite side of your mouth? It could be a cancerous or precancerous growth.

 

Lumps, bumps, and shallow tissues. Fixed nodules or inflamed lymph nodes are common signs of a chronic infection or disease. So are sunken-in areas where tissue may have been destroyed by cancerous growths.

An Oral Cancer Exam Could Save Your Life

Most people will never know that they have oral cancer until the disease has extremely progressed into more advanced stages. The sooner precancerous or pathological tissues are identified and a biopsy performed, the less invasive and more effective your cancer treatment can be.

Schedule a checkup and oral cancer screening in Wantrina South today at Studfield Dental Group.