Keys to preventing oral cancer Self-examination and regular check-ups with the dentist help with early diagnosis We have the bad habit of making few visits to the dental clinic.
We usually do this when the symptoms of an oral health problem are more than obvious.
But regular check-ups with the dentist not only serve to detect cavities or infections, they can also alert us to other problems such as oral cancer.
In Spain, around 7,000 new cases of oral cancer are registered per year, according to the General Council of Dentists’ Associations of Spain.
Although the incidence of this type of cancer in the population is not high (8 per 100,000 inhabitants), this disease has high morbidity and mortality because it is generally diagnosed in advanced stages, so the way to reduce it is to promote its early detection.
There are some keys to preventing oral cancer or, failing that, to detecting it in time:
##BULLET##Diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Consuming five pieces a day as well as consuming olive oil, following a Mediterranean diet, drinking green tea, and avoiding processed and/or high-fat foods can reduce the risk of developing oral cancer by 30 to 40%.
##BULLET##Keep tobacco and alcohol at bay.
Tobacco contains around 4,000 chemical substances, of which 250 are harmful and 50 are carcinogenic, among which nicotine and tar stand out.
If we combine it with alcohol, which makes the mucous membranes even more permeable, the risk of suffering from oral cancer increases considerably.
In fact, the combination of both substances constitutes the main cause of this disease.
##BULLET##Autoexploració.
A regular inspection of your oral cavity can help you detect oral cancer.
Stick your tongue out in front of the mirror and carefully check its top, bottom and sides.
Also lips, inside cheeks (buccal mucosa), gums and palate.
Check that there are no changes in its color (white and red areas), cuts, ulcers or lumps that do not heal after one or two weeks after removing the stimulus (sharp teeth, poorly adapted prosthesis, biting habits).
Other signs or symptoms may include inflammation, swelling of lymph nodes located above the collarbones, loss of one or more teeth for no apparent reason (not related to periodontal disease), altered dental occlusion, problems with the use of dentures, persistent sensation of a foreign body (especially if it is unilateral), loss of sensitivity in the tongue, teeth or lips, bleeding of unknown origin, halitosis, difficulties in breathing, chewing, swallowing or phonetics, weight loss.
If you detect anything unusual, consult your dentist.
##BULLET##Annual check-ups with the dentist.
In a routine oral examination, dentists study the warning signs of diseases such as oral cancer.
And, as an example, the presenter of the legendary television program “Un, dos tres… responda otra vez”, Mayra Gómez Kemp, whose dentist detected tongue cancer from an ulcer in her mouth that was not healing, the most common symptom.
His early detection saved his life.
##BULLET##HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination.
As we often remind you, it is better to go to the dentist for prevention than for cure, especially if we are talking about diseases with serious consequences such as those caused by cancer.