Oral cancer refers to malignant lesions that occur in oral tissues, including lip, cheek, tongue, base of tongue, gums, soft palate, occlusal muscles, and hard and soft tissues such as teeth, alveolar bone, and jaw bone. Currently, the common types of oral cancer are tongue cancer, cheek cancer, gum cancer, lip cancer, floor of mouth cancer and hard palate cancer.
So, what are the main symptoms of oral cancer? Will chronic mouth ulcers cause oral cancer? How to diagnose whether you have oral cancer?
Early manifestations of oral cancer are mainly oral ulcers that do not heal for a long time or recurrent infections, while general oral ulcers will heal within 1 to 2 weeks after the onset.
The presence of a lump inside the mouth. A lump inside the mouth that does not subside for a long time, grows rapidly and does not subside after treatment or has a tendency to ulcerate should be considered to be caused by some kind of oral cancer.
Loose teeth and restricted mouth opening. Adults who suddenly have multiple loose teeth without any signs, or have restricted mouth opening and exclude jaw joint pathology, may be suffering from some kind of oral cancer.
Numbness of lower lip and facial palsy. Numbness of one side of the lower lip is usually due to cancer invading the inferior alveolar nerve, while unexplained facial palsy in healthy adults is usually due to malignant tumor in the parotid gland destroying the facial nerve, resulting in facial palsy symptoms.
People can self-examine and pay attention to changes around the mouth from time to time in daily life for early detection and early treatment. Do oral self-examination at least once a month and consult your dentist or doctor as soon as you notice any abnormalities for further examination and diagnosis. Early detection and early treatment will not only make it easier to manage the disease, but also provide better prognosis.
Nowadays, the incidence of malignant tumors is getting younger and younger, and every organ of the body has the possibility to become “cancerous”, and the oral cavity is no exception. Compared with other cancers, oral cancer is easier to be detected early and has a higher chance of recovery. Unfortunately, many patients still ignore the early warning signs and miss the golden treatment period. Don’t let yourself become a candidate for oral cancer by being smart about oral cancer prevention and treatment.
There are many causes of oral cancer, such as poor oral hygiene, long-term high temperature or chemical stimulation, chronic injury to the tongue, gums or cheeks caused by malocclusion or unsuitable dentures, white spots on the oral mucosa, etc., all of which may turn into cancer after a period of time.
Therefore, corresponding to the causative factors of oral cancer, we can also launch which people are the high-risk group of oral cancer. It is worth noting that for the following groups of people, it is very important to raise the awareness of oral cancer and regularly self-examine the changes in the oral cavity!
1. People with poor oral hygiene habits
Poor control of the frequency, time and timing of brushing, poor oral hygiene, long-term formation of plaque and gum plaque, etc., lead to long-term breeding of various pathogenic bacteria in the mouth, creating conditions for the formation of carcinogenic substances nitrosamines and their precursors, which promote the occurrence of oral cancer.
2. People who smoke and drink for a long time
The irritants and toxic substances in the process of smoking and drinking are more irritating and damaging to the gums, periodontium and oral mucosa, etc. Many long-term smokers will have smoke spots on their teeth, and the spicy irritants in alcohol produce serious stimulation to the gums. Long-term dental and gum irritation puts the mouth in a state of stress and inflammatory factors overreact for a long time, which can easily trigger oral cancer.
3. People with bad dental restorations in the oral cavity
Dentures and sharp teeth can cause oral mucosal diseases. Dentures and sharp teeth can cause oral ulcers in oral mucosa repeatedly for a long time and induce oral cancer.
In a word, the first step to prevent oral cancer is to change the bad habits of smoking and drinking, and after drinking or smoking, the mouth should be cleaned in time to avoid prolonged oral stimulation. Dentures should be of good quality, free of residual roots and crowns, and not irritating to oral tissues. People who have sharp parts of teeth or wear dentures should seek timely medical attention when there is discomfort in the mouth or teeth to reduce the infection of mouth ulcers.
