About 50,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. Of that number, roughly 10,000 individuals will die within five years of being screened.

“These are scary numbers,” CBHA Chief Dental Officer Dr. Alvin Thien said. “Like most cancers, oral cancer is highly treatable – if it’s caught early. It only takes a few minutes to feel the lymph nodes in the neck and jaw.”

Of the people newly diagnosed with these cancers, only about 60 percent live longer than five years. Those who do survive often suffer long-term problems such as severe facial disfigurement or difficulties eating and speaking.

Mouth cancer or oral cancer, can occur anywhere in the mouth. It can appear on the surface of the tongue, the lips, inside the cheek, in the gums, in the roof and floor of the mouth, in the tonsils, and/or in the salivary glands. Symptoms may include patches on the lining of the mouth or tongue, usually red or red and white in color, mouth sores that do not heal, lump or thickening of the skin or lining of the mouth, loose teeth with no apparent reason, jaw pain or stiffness, sore throat, a sensation that something is stuck in the throat, painful tongue, hoarse voice, and/or a pain in the neck that does not go away.

Historically, researchers have found that the use of tobacco and alcohol can lead to mouth cancer. In some cases, almost 25 percent of patients have no known risk factors. However, a growing segment of oral cancer patients involve the young, nonsmoking individuals due to the connection to the HPV virus (human papilloma virus). This is the same virus that causes cervical cancer in women.

“Research continues into these complicated findings,” Thien said. “Basically, people need to be aware of what is happening with their oral health – it is every bit as important as the rest of the body.”

For more information, contact Dr. Thien at 509-488-5256.