All Adults Should Have Routine Oral Cancer Screenings: Here's Why

Oral cancer is the 16th most common cancer globally, with nearly 400,000 new cases developing in 2022 alone. It can affect several parts of the mouth and throat, and various factors can increase the risk of developing it.

The signs of this illness may not be obvious in the early stages, so getting screenings for oral cancer is important. This is especially true for adults. To find out why, let’s learn more about the illness and why adults are more susceptible. 

Dr. Nils Anderson and our dedicated staff at Village Dental serve the Richmond Hill, Georgia area, offering a range of dental services, including oral cancer screenings.

Facts about oral cancer

This form of cancer is the most frequent type of head or neck cancer and can affect your lips, tongue, mouth, or oropharynx (the section of your mouth with your tonsils, sides, and back of your throat). 

Oral cancer happens in three stages. The TNM system indicates the size and location of the tumor, if it has spread into your lymph nodes, and the possibility of metastasis. The stages are:

• T1: a tumor of two centimeters or smaller

• T2: larger than two but smaller than four centimeters

• T3: larger than four centimeters

As the tumor grows, the risk of spreading to other parts of the body (metastasis) increases. 

Causes and symptoms

The reasons behind oral cancer aren’t entirely understood. However, several risk factors increase the chances of getting oral cancer, such as the following: 

• Alcohol abuse 
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) 
• Excess sunlight exposure  
• Weakened immune system 
• Smoking
• Tobacco products

Often, when this cancer starts to appear, you’ll see a non-healing sore on your mouth, or mouth or throat pain that doesn’t fade. Other signs can include white or red patches on the inside of your mouth, a mouth or lip ulcer with non-healing scabs, bleeding in the mouth without injury, pain while swallowing, persistent bad breath, and numbness.

Reasons why adults need screenings

Adults are at the highest risk. While it’s more common in older adults with a history of drinking excessive alcohol and smoking, 20% of cases happen in adults under 55 years of age without other risk factors. Getting checked for oral cancer has some vital benefits, including the following:

• Survival rate: early detection improves the survival rate

• Easy screening: it can be done during a routine exam

• Peace of mind: if you have a family history or any symptoms, getting a screening puts you at ease

If you have this illness, treatment can remove the problem when caught early, and you can get on with your life cancer-free. To get tested and treated for oral cancer, make an appointment with Dr. Anderson and the Village Dental team today.