April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and I want to help spread the prevention message. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer in 2012. The most common risk factors include tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption and HPV infection.
But there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) experts estimate that Americans could prevent up to 63 percent of oral cancers via a healthy diet, healthy weight, ad regular physical activity. That's over 22,000 cases each year.
Research is clear that smoking or chewing tobacco increases risk for cancers of the lung, mouth, lips, nasal cavity and sinuses, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, uterus, cervix, colon/rectum, ovary, and acute myeloid leukemia. Research also shows, when combined with alcohol, tobacco can raise oral cancer risk significantly.
Alcohol also increases the risk for oral and throat cancer. If you drink alcohol, AICR recommends limiting your consumption to no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women.
Eating fruits and vegetables protect against cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx, stomach and esophagus. Aim for at least 5 servings per day. A cancer-fighting diet should also include whole grains and legumes, which contain fiber and other important phytochemicals.
In dentistry we are also concerned about early detection. As part of a regular dental exam the soft tissues of the mouth are routinely checked for changes in color, texture or size. By identifying suspicious areas early, there is a possibility that the cases that develop can be treated with greater success.
