Oral Cancer Awareness Month

April is Oral Cancer Awareness month.  I’d like to offer you some information that can help to make you more aware of this disease that kills one person per hour, each day.  Oral cancer is common in the areas that are harder to see, such as the tonsils, oropharynx and sides of the tongue.  We provide oral cancer screenings with every appointment at our office.

Did you know that when you stick your tongue out and place it on the tasty guaze, we are doing your oral cancer screening?

Here are some Risk Factors to help educate you about this deadly disease.

• Smoking and drinking are the most common risk factors, but that is changing.
• The biggest risk factor now is the sexually transmitted virus called HPV, the same virus that can cause cervical cancer.
• The Oral Cancer Foundation says over 48,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year alone (cause over 9,575 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day), the majority of those cases will be tied to HPV.
• There is an epidemic of oral cancer among young people, unfortunately due to oral sex.
•  Fastest growing segment of the oral cancer population are non-smokers under the age of fifty.
•  Additional risk factors include high alcohol consumption, the use of conventional smokeless (chewing/spit) tobacco, as well as prolonged exposure to the sun (for lip cancers).

Oral Cancer Screenings are quick, painless, simple and necessary to your overall dental health.  Call our office today and schedule your oral health evaluation.  614-775-0840  appointments@newalbanysmiles.com