Everything to know about oral cancer- causes, risks, and prevention
A small growth inside your mouth might not signify anything serious. Similarly, when you start suffering from scurvy repeatedly despite eating lots of citrus foods, you think that the issue is caused due to deficiency of Vitamin C. We often relate these “uneventful” cases with issues like vitamin or mineral deficiency, not having enough sleep, suffering from dental problems, and so on. As a result, we don't get the proper treatment and try to get rid of the issue in the quickest possible way without wasting any time for the doctor or pathological investigation.
In most cases, our assumption works perfectly, and we can heal ourselves with ease. However, in other cases, these minor issues lead to much more severe and chronic problems, which result in the emergence of non-curable diseases. One such case happens with oral health, where we often ignore the early symptoms and further suffer from oral cancer. The only way to prevent this health problem is through proper awareness about the causes of oral cancer, the risk factors, and several other preventive measures.
What are the causes of oral cancer?
To understand how you can prevent oral cancer or take proper precautionary measures, first, you have to get into the depth of causes. Owing to this, we have presented here some of the major causes of having cancers in the mouth and other related regions:
Smoking is one of the major causes of oral cancer, as the hot air released during this activity burns the epithelium and exposes the inner cells to further damage.
Consuming alcohol in excess can also result in oral cancer due to the exposure of your skin cells to carcinogenic compounds present in the drinks.
Another major cause of this issue has a family history. Often the cancerous cells remain in the dormant state and are passed down from one generation to the other. As a result, oral cancer is often associated with heredity.
If your face is exposed to the sun for a long time, it may cause lip cancers due to the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Human papillomavirus can cause squamous cell carcinoma, which is nothing but the initial stages of cancer.
Is there any risk factor for oral cancer? If yes, what are they?
Yes, there are several risk factors to oral cancers which you need to be aware of. This knowledge will help you understand the importance of keeping yourself healthy and reducing the chances of suffering from this disease.
Oral cancers can cause lumps or tumors to form inside your buccal cavity and the throat.
You won't be able to gulp things down, another risk factor for oral cancer.
Sometimes, oral cancers need to be removed through surgeries which can also lead to the removal of organs.
How can you prevent oral cancer?
It is essential to maintain proper oral health like brushing twice a day, using mouth cleaning solutions, etc.
Immediately ban yourself from smoking and drinking, two major causes of oral cancer.
Putting a stop to chewing the betel leaves since these leaves contain several carcinogenic compounds, resulting in oral cancers.
You have to stop exposing yourself to the sun and make sure that your lips and the inner portion of the mouth are well protected from harmful UV radiations. You can use sunscreen or cover your face with a cloth.
Ensure foods rich in antioxidants that will help fight the oxidative damages from free radicals.
Conclusion
Mouth cancer is a common issue that almost every 4 people out of 10 face. But with proper awareness and knowledge about the preventive measures, it will become possible to keep yourself safe. Apart from this, it's best not to ignore any oral problem as that might lead to cancers later. For more information about treatment of different types of Cancers, be sure to visit Medipulse hospital in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.