According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, more than 45,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. Of those, only slightly more than half will live another five years.

Oral cancer has such a low survival rate because it’s usually not detected until very late in its progression. 

Early Detection is Key

Early oral cancer detection can significantly boost survival rates. One of the reasons oral cancer goes undetected is because many of the symptoms are not painful. If you experience any of the following symptoms, please let us know right away:

• A lump or thickening of your cheek
• A white or red patch on any part of your inner mouth or throat
• A sore inside your mouth that doesn’t heal within two weeks
• Difficulty moving your tongue or jaw
• Numbness inside your mouth
• Chronic difficulty swallowing or chewing
• Jaw swelling

Risk Factors 

Oral cancer can affect anybody, but the following have proven to be common risk factors:

• Smoking and second-hand smoke
• Chewing or smokeless tobacco
• Alcohol
• Poor diet 

Keep Scheduled Appointments

Keeping regularly scheduled appointments and screenings greatly increases the likelihood that any problems will be detected early.