Oral cancer has steadily increased over the past decade. It is the 8th deadliest cancer diagnosed today. Out of the 34,000 new diagnosed cases in the U.S., only half will be alive in 5 years. There are several types of oral cancer, but the most common is squamous cell carcinoma. The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high because it is so difficult to detect or diagnose early. It is very important to see your dentist every 6 months for routine checkups and oral cancer screenings for the earliest detection possible. Like most cancers, if caught early it has a very high cure rate approaching 90%. However, 70% of the cases are not discovered until advanced stages. The death rate in the US for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, brain cancer, liver, testes, kidney or ovarian cancer.

Smoking is the number one causative agent in oral cancers. Smokeless tobacco use such as dipping and chewing is also a factor but much less. Age is another important consideration. Once a person reaches the age of 65, the risk of developing oral cancer is 15 times the norm. A smoking and drinking combination contribute to the highest numbers of oral cancers. Three quarters of all oral cancers diagnosed fall into the high risk categories such as smoking or smoking and drinking in combination. However, one fourth of diagnosed oral cancers have virtually no risks factors. These are the cases that range in ages 20-40 years of age that are non-smokers. Due to the major promotions by mainstream media in regards to cervical cancer caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), most of us are familiar with this type virus. This is a genital virus spread through sexual contact. College age adults are at the greatest risk for contraction HPV due to the fact that they are more sexually active and often engage in a riskier lifestyle. Combining tobacco and alcohol with HPV, and epithelial cells in the mouth, and you may have the perfect formula for developing oral cancer. Although many oral cancers of this age group are caused from HPV, this type of oral cancer is usually more responsive to radiation and chemotherapy. As a result, it is very important to see your dentist at least annually to have an oral cancer screening by your dentist. As in most cases, most oral cancer causes little or no pain in their earlier stages of the disease. It is important that if you notice a spot that doesn't completely disappear within 3 weeks to immediately see a dentist. We have rinses in combination with fluorescence lighting that can allow us to detect lesions in the precancerous stages or the earliest stages. See your dentist or give us a call if you are interested in having one of these tests. These tests only take about 5 minutes and are a painless procedure.

Dr. Keith L. Davis, D.M.D.
205-678-2525

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