Over 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are discovered each year, according to research by the American Cancer Society. In more than 7,000 of these situations, the patient passes away. The good news is that oral cancer can be quickly identified during a yearly inspection and is successfully treated when found in its earlier stages.

Oral cancer is a pathologic process that starts out in an asymptomatic stage, when the typical cancer symptoms might not be immediately apparent. This highlights the crucial need for the dentist's mouth cancer screenings. Teratoma, adenocarcinoma, and melanoma are only a few histologic kinds of oral cancer that can occur. Malignant squamous cell carcinoma is the most prevalent type of mouth cancer.

This particular variety of oral cancer typically develops in the tissues of the mouth and lips.

Mouth malignancies can develop in a variety of locations in the mouth cavity and maxillofacial area, including:

• Lips

• Mouth

• Tongue

• Salivary Glands

• Oropharyngeal (Throat)

• Gum

• Face

Motives for Oral Cancer Exams

It is crucial to remember that over 75% of oral cancer cases are connected to modifiable behaviors, including smoking, using tobacco products, and drinking too much alcohol. You can get information about changing your lifestyle and quitting smoking from your dentist.

Early detection of oral cancer results in generally extremely successful therapy. Any obvious anomalies in the mouth, tongue, gums, or surrounding area should be checked as soon as possible by a medical practitioner. The maxillofacial and oral regions will be closely examined during the oral cancer exam by the dentist and dental hygienist for any indications of pathologic alterations.

Throughout a standard oral cancer examination, the following symptoms will be looked into:

• Red spots and sores: pathologic (cancerous) changes can be indicated by red spots on the floor of the mouth, the front and sides of the tongue, white or pink patches that do not heal, and slow-healing sores that bleed easily.

• Leukoplakia is a hardened, elevated, white, gray, or any other color lesion that can develop anywhere inside the mouth. If treatment is not received, leukoplakia may turn malignant or may already be cancerous.

• Lumps: Pathological issues might be indicated by soreness, lumps, or the general thickening of tissue anywhere in the throat or mouth.

 

Exams, diagnosis, and treatment for oral cancer

The screening for oral cancer is a fully painless procedure. The dentist will examine for abnormalities during the visual portion of the examination and feel the neck, face, and glands for any strange bumps. Additionally, lasers that may highlight pathologic alterations are an excellent tool for screening for oral cancer. The laser has the ability to "look" beneath the skin's surface for aberrant lesions and indications that are invisible to the unaided eye.

In order to check for oral cancer, some dentists use the velscope, a unique light that may spot tissue anomalies. A diagnostic impression and treatment plan will be put in place by the dentist if anomalies, lesions, leukoplakia, or masses are visible. If the initial course of treatment is unsuccessful, a biopsy of the affected area will be carried out.

The clinical evaluation that is part of the biopsy will determine the exact stage and grade of the oral lesion.When the epithelium's basement membrane is ruptured, oral cancer is thought to be present. Malignant cancers provide additional secondary risks because of the ease with which they might spread to other areas of the oral and maxillofacial regions. Depending on the particular diagnosis, other treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and excision, may be used.

The dentist and hygienist will carefully inspect the mouth at biannual checkups to search for changes and abnormalities, but a thorough oral cancer screening should be done at least once a year.

Ask your dentist or dental hygienist if you have any questions or concerns regarding oral cancer.