{"id":689,"date":"2023-04-09T07:19:24","date_gmt":"2023-04-09T07:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.licdentalassociates.com\/blog\/?p=689"},"modified":"2023-05-26T07:20:17","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T07:20:17","slug":"how-to-be-vigilant-for-oral-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.licdentalassociates.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/09\/how-to-be-vigilant-for-oral-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to be Vigilant for Oral Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

If you went to the dentist\u2019s office recently, you may remember your dentist performing a routine oral cancer screening. These are done at every checkup<\/a>, and while it takes only a moment, it\u2019s also one of the most important parts of the exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detecting oral cancer early is one of the best ways to ensure that the condition doesn\u2019t become serious. One way to help with that is to stay vigilant for the symptoms of the disease. Here are some things it may be a good idea to watch out for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Are the Risk Factors for Oral Cancer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the absolute best thing to do with oral cancer is not to contract it at all. There are some factors that contribute to the condition that you can\u2019t do anything about, like age and genetics, but others are well within your control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Substance abuse is maybe the biggest one\u2014tobacco and alcohol use are two of the leading risk factors for oral cancer. While most people are well aware that tobacco can cause problems, alcohol\u2019s relationship with oral cancer can sometimes come as a surprise to some. As it turns out, even moderate drinking has been connected with an increased risk of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other major factor is the sexually transmitted disease HPV. While this disease is usually harmless, in some people it can lie dormant and cause problems down the line. As it turns out, oral cancer is one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oral Cancer Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oral cancer can be tricky to self-diagnose, and even doctors have little trouble telling it apart from other oral health problems. While many of its symptoms seem similar, the primary difference is that oral cancer will not heal over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If one of these symptoms sticks around for several weeks, it could be a sign of oral cancer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n