April is well-suited for all sorts of light-hearted fun. You can play pranks on April Fool’s Day, move outdoors as spring weather arrives – the list goes on. Still, don’t forget to use these thirty days to look after your health. April is also Oral Cancer Awareness Month, a time for noting the dangers of oral cancer; you should honor it and protect yourself from its namesake. As for how to do so, your Medford dentist has you covered. Here are three crucial actions to take for Oral Cancer Awareness Month.
Consider & Manage Your Risk Factors
Oral cancer is potentially deadly, so you’ll want to avoid it as best you can. That means you should lower your odds of getting the disease by managing its risk factors. This approach will make you less likely to get oral cancer in the future.
With all that said, oral cancer’s most common risk factors are:
- Age – The risk of getting oral cancer increases with age. Those who are over 55 years old are especially likely to get it.
- Genetics – If you’re a biological male, you’re much more likely to get oral cancer. The same applies if you have a family history of the disease.
- Tobacco & Alcohol Use – Tobacco products make you absorb carcinogens that cause cancer. At the same time, alcoholic drinks help those carcinogens enter your oral tissues.
- Sun Exposure – Spending too much time in the sun exposes you to a lot of ultraviolet (UV) light. This light can cause cancer in your lips.
Watch for Oral Cancer’s Warning Signs
While it can be life-threatening, oral cancer’s symptoms often make it resemble other issues. That means you should look closely for seemingly harmless warning signs. These include:
- Numbness, pain, or tenderness on your face
- Bleeding sores on your lip or inside your mouth
- Lumps or thick patches in your mouth
- Rough or crusty areas on your lips or gums
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Loose teeth
See a Dentist for an Oral Cancer Screening
You can get oral cancer even if you lack its risk factors and signs. So, try to see your dentist for a dental checkup this month. They’ll screen you for the disease during the exam process.
Patients can greatly benefit from a dentist’s oral cancer screenings. By checking you for relevant signs, these sessions make an early diagnosis more likely. This effect can be life-saving in the long run – patients with an early diagnosis have a 5-year survival rate of 86%. That’s because oral cancer is easier to treat effectively in its initial stages.
If you want to honor Oral Cancer Awareness Month, make sure to do the tasks above. They’ll keep your grin safe and cancer-free!
About the Practice
Giamberardino Dental Care is based in Medford, MA. Led by Dr. Giamberardino, our practice has been helping dental patients for decades. We take time to create personalized treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency care. Our office also provides oral cancer screenings, which serve as one of its many excellent services. For more details or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (781)-139-63800.