One of the best things about getting comprehensive dental exams is that it gives the dentist the chance to detect oral diseases, such as oral cancer, in their infancy. Here are some of the things that may make your dentist suspect oral cancer:
Unexplained Loose Tooth
Oral cancer may damage the connective tissues on which a tooth's root is connected, weakening and loosening the tooth. Assessing the strength of your teeth is one of the things your dentist will do during a routine dental examination. Unexplained loose tooth calls for further examination since it may be a symptom of oral cancer.
Changes in Mouth Texture
Oral cancer affects the mouth in different ways, but most of the effects will be on the visible tissues. For example, cancer may accelerate the growth rate of certain areas of your oral mucosa (lining of the mouth) or gums, creating rough patches that didn't exist before. This is something your dentist may be able to tell by mere visual examination of your mouth.
Changes in Mouth Color
Apart from changes in texture, the growth of cancerous cells may also affect the normal color of your oral mucosa. The lips, gums, and tonsils are some of the parts most commonly affected by the discoloration. In most cases, those areas develop white or red patches.
Unexplained Pain in the Mouth
There are very many things that can cause pain in your oral cavity. Gum diseases, side effects of medication, and dental accidents are some of the most common examples. However, if you can feel pain while the dentist is probing and inspecting your mouth, and there is no obvious cause of the pain, then you should think about getting an oral cancer screening.
Persistent Mouth Sores and Lesions
Persistent sores and mouth lesions are some of the classic symptoms of oral cancer. Indeed, some of the sores may start out as bruises caused by oral accidents, but then fail to heal or respond to the usual treatment for such cases. Your dentist will probably ask you how long you have had the sores or lesions and then advise you to go for cancer screening if the duration seems unusually long.
Difficulty Working the Jaw and Mouth
Oral cancer doesn't just affect the superficial tissues or the oral mucosa; it also affects the hard tissues in the mouth. For example, cancer may affect your jawbones and make it difficult for you to eat, swallow or speak. Your dentist can only suspect this if you open up during the consultation.
Share5 December 2017
Do you remember the last time you looked at your smile and really loved what you saw? A few years ago I started spending more time analyzing my appearance, and I noticed that my teeth were seriously lacking. I knew that I had to do something to improve the situation, so I began focusing on loving my smile by getting some work done. I started talking with a dentist about how he could help, and it was really incredible to see the simple difference that he was able to make. Within a few years, my smile looked and felt completely different, and I was really pleased with the results. Check out this blog for great information on making your smile more beautiful.
