At my Sacramento dental office, we’d like to educate our patients on this dangerous disease during this Oral Cancer Awareness Month. When it’s caught early, Oral Cancer is highly treatable, that’s why we want to share some facts about it with you..
Oral Cancer Facts
- Oral cancer kills 8,000 Americans every year.
- If caught early, the survival rate for mouth and oral cancers is between 85-90%.
- Tobacco and alcohol use are risk factors, but so are increased exposure to the sun, poor nutrition, HPV, and age.
Who’s At Risk?
Oral cancer itself is more common in men than woman. In fact, oral cancer is two times more likely in men than women. That doesn’t mean women can’t get it, it’s just fewer women do.
Folks above the age of 45 comprise 90% of new oral cancer cases each year.
Those who work outside between the hours of noon and 2 p.m. may be at higher risk. That’s why you should use lip balm with SPF of at least 15 each day and remember to apply and reapply sunscreen.
People who don’t or can’t get at least five servings of fruits and veggies each day may also be at increased risk for oral cancer.
If you have HPV, it’s especially important to get checked for oral cancer regularly.
We know thinking about cancer is scary. But if it’s caught early, treatment can be very successful. This makes keeping regularly scheduled appointments at my dental office in Sacramento extremely important. Routine visits are not only meant to deep clean and check for cavities, we also look for any signs of anything a bit more serious like oral cancer.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve seen a dentist, give us a call. We’re here to get you healthy in a comfortable and understanding environment.
Welcoming patients from Sacramento, Natomas, Rio Linda, and surrounding areas.