April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month! This month, the goal is to raise awareness on the importance of performing monthly self-exams and recognizing the signs of oral cancer. “According to MouthHealthy.org, the ADA’s consumer website, over 51,500 people are diagnosed with cancers of the mouth, throat, tonsils and tongue each year.”
Be sure you are checking for anything that looks and feels abnormal:
- Any sore or ulceration that does not heal within 14 days.
- Any abnormality that bleeds easily when touched.
- A lump or hard spot in the tissue, usually border of the tongue.
- A sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture, that does not heal.
- A lump or thickening that develops in the mouth.
“Historically, those at an especially high risk of developing oral cancer have been heavy drinkers and smokers older than age 50.” If you notice any unusual changes to your gums or mouth, contact us.
