Early signs of mouth cancer?!

Early signs of mouth cancer?

what cuases mouth cancer and what are some early signs and symptoms of mouth cancer? i recently noticed that i have a bump inside of my mouth about half inch in size and it hurts slightly when its touched,,,,

Hello. My ID is Ms. Dell and I am pleased to help you today.

Your question is " What early signs of mouth Cancer?"

Oral cancer is cancer that occurs on the lips (usually the lower lip), inside the mouth, on the back of the throat, the tonsils or salivary glands. It occurs more frequently in men than women, and most likely to strike people over 40. Smoking in combination with heavy alcohol use is a key risk factor.

If not detected early, oral cancer can require surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. It can also be fatal, with an overall five-year survival rate of approximately 50 percent.* Part of the reason for this poor prognosis is a failure to recognize the early symptoms, so detecting oral cancer early is the key to successful treatment.

You may also want to know what causes Oral Cancer. No problem, I am pleased to answer.

You won't always be able to spot the earliest warning signs of oral cancer, which is why regular check-ups with both your dentist and physician are so important. Your dentist is trained to detect early warning signs of oral cancer. However, in addition to check-ups, you should see your dentist if you do notice any of the following:

A sore on the lips, gums, or inside of your mouth that bleeds easily and doesn't heal

A lump or thickening in the cheek that you can feel with your tongue
Loss of feeling or numbness in any part of your mouth
White or red patches on the gums, tongue or inside of mouth
Difficulty chewing or swallowing food
Soreness or unexplained pain in your mouth, or feeling that something is caught in your throat with no known cause
Swelling of the jaw causing dentures to fit poorly
Change in voice

Of course you would like to prevent Oral Cancer, and here is how:

If you don't chew or smoke tobacco — don't start. Tobacco use accounts for 80 to 90 percent of oral cancers.**

Smoking — the link between smoking, lung cancer and heart disease is well established1. Smoking also affects your general health, making it harder to fight infections and recover from injuries or surgery. Among young adults, smoking can lead to stunted growth and other developmental difficulties. Many smokers find they can't smell or taste as well as before, and risk developing bad breath and stained teeth.

Your oral health is also at risk every time you light up. Smoking cigarettes, a pipe or a cigar greatly increases your chances of developing cancer of the larynx, mouth, throat and esophagus. Because so many people are not aware of or ignore early symptoms, oral cancer often spreads before it is detected.

Chewing Tobacco — chronic users of smokeless tobacco are 50 times more likely to develop oral cancer than non-users.

It's best to avoid smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes, chewing tobacco or dipping snuff. People who stop using tobacco, even after many years of use, greatly reduce their risk for oral cancer. Chronic and/or heavy use of alcohol also increases your risk of cancer, and alcohol combined with tobacco creates an especially high risk.

You have a great day now.
Ms Dell.