Oral cancer or mouth cancer is a growth of sore or white patches that won’t go away over time. This type of cancer takes place in your mouth, upper throat, or outside the mouth (lips). Initially, you may not feel any irritation around the sore. With time, symptoms start to become noticeable, and if remains untreated can cause life-threatening out-turns.

However, early diagnosis can be of great help. For that, you need to be attentive to your health. Make sure to inform your doctor about unusual signs you’ve spotted. Ignoring oral health makes no sense because oral health is closely linked to other organs in your body too. To receive dental care treatments, make an appointment with the best dentist in Siliguri.

Understanding who is at the greater risk of oral cancer

The contributing factors for oral cancer include:

·       Consumption of tobacco with time can lead to oral cancer. Smoking, chewing, snuffing tobacco can put you at risk of this type of cancer.

·       Too much alcohol consumption is another leading cause of oral cancer. In other instances, drinking alcohol and smoking together increase their chance of oral cancer three times more.

·       Sexually transmitted viruses (HPV) spread through oral sex can result in oral cancer.

·       Gender may play a crucial role in oral cancer as men indulge more in alcohol or cigarette. And that’s how they are knowingly or unknowingly increasing their risk factors for this health concern.

·       A growing body of research states, family history of cancer may put an individual at the same risk.

·       With prolonged exposure to the sun, the risk of oral cancer may become higher.

·       Malnutrition can cause a weakened immune system which may lead to such type of cancer.

What are the possible symptoms of oral cancer?

Signs or symptoms of oral cancer may include:

·       A mouth sore that won’t wear off

·       Swelling or lumps inside your mouth

·       Red or white patches inside your mouth

·       Mouth pain/ear pain

·       Painful swallowing

·       Difficulty chewing

·       Problems in speaking seem like something has stuck inside your mouth

·       Bleeding in mouth

·       A feeling of tenderness or numbness in the different areas like the neck, face, or inside the mouth

·       Pain in your jaw

·       Unintended weight loss

Talk to your physician or you can consult a dentist so that they can evaluate the underlying condition fast.

Treatment options for oral cancer

When you visit a specialist, he/she may advise the following diagnostic procedures:

·       A physical examination of your mouth

·       Biopsy (removal of a piece from the suspected area for testing)

Assured by the severity, your doctor may go for:

·       Surgery to eliminate the cancer growth

·       Radiation therapy or chemotherapy in combination with surgery

See a doctor immediately to ensure early treatment for your condition. Also, you can reach out to the leading Siliguri dental clinic. Many experts cited when DNA of mouth cells are affected significantly, this type of cancer can occur.

Following simple steps can prevent your health from such complications, like – quitting tobacco consumption, refraining from alcohol, eating healthy meals. Last but not least, a regular dental check-up is undoubtedly essential.