Oral Cancer Awareness Month
Oral Cancer is a serious and often overlooked health issue that affects thousands of individuals each year. As we observe Oral Cancer Awareness Month, it's crucial to spread knowledge about this disease, its risk factors, and the importance of early detection.
What is Oral Cancer?
Oral Cancer refers to cancers of the mouth, tongue, and throat, specifically the oral cavity or the oropharynx (neck and throat).
- The oral cavity consists of your lips, the inside of your lips and cheeks, teeth, gums, the front two-thirds of your tongue, and the floor and roof of your mouth.
- The oropharynx consists of the middle region of the throat, including the tonsils and base of the tongue.
The American Cancer Society’s (2025) most recent estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States:
- About 59,660 new cases of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer
- About 12,770 deaths from oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer, killing approximately 1 person every hour, 24 hours a day.
4 things to know about Oral Cancer
1. You can lower your risk for developing oral cancer by limiting several factors.
- Tobacco use: Smoking and chewing tobacco are major contributors.
- Excessive alcohol consumption: Heavy drinking can significantly raise the risk.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection: HPV is linked to a growing number of oral cancer cases. The HPV vaccine prevents HPV-related cancers.
- Poor oral hygiene: Neglecting oral health can also be a risk factor. Routine dental visits and oral cancer screening can catch early signs of the disease.
2. Completing regular self-exams can increase your survival rate. Finding cancer early, before it spreads throughout your body, often has more successful treatment options.
3. Know the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. If signs are persistent and not resolving, having lasted for more than two weeks, see your dental professional. You can always call your dental professional right away if you have any immediate concerns.
- Any sore or ulceration that does not heal within 14 days
- A red, white, or black discoloration of the soft tissues of the mouth
- Any abnormality that bleeds easily when touched
- A lump or hard spot in the tissue, usually the border of the tongue
- Tissue raised above that which surrounds it, a growth
- A sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture, that does not heal
- A lump or thickening that develops in the mouth
- A painless, firm, fixated lump on the outside of the neck, that has been there for at least two weeks
- Difficulty swallowing, chewing, speaking, or moving your tongue or jaw Feeling like something is caught in your throat, numbness, hoarseness, or a change in voice
4. Be aware of the common areas of oral cancer.
- The tongue and floor of the mouth.
- Individuals that use chewing tobacco, are more likely to develop in the area between the lip or cheek and the gums where the chewing tobacco is held repeatedly.
- Becoming more common at the base of the tongue at the back of the mouth, back of the throat, and near the tonsils, particularly in young non-smoking individuals and often related to HPV.
Read More:
Oral Cavity & Oropharyngeal Cancer Key Statistics 2021 | American Cancer Society
Leave a comment