Mouth Cancer Awareness Month

At Proud to Smile Dentistry, we do everything we can to help our patients achieve long-lasting oral health. During routine hygiene examinations, we do more than just clean your teeth. We also inspect your mouth for signs of dental decay and other harmful conditions as well. One condition we look for is mouth and oral cancer. November is Mouth Cancer Awareness Month, which helps promote awareness about this form of cancer. Mouth cancer is a type of head and neck cancer that can develop anywhere in the mouth or oral cavity. It can be found on areas such as the lips, tongue, cheeks, and gums. Although mouth and throat cancer are not the leading forms of cancer in the US, it is still important to learn more about what can cause them.

Risk Factors

There are some risk factors that are important to mention, as they can lead to the development of mouth and oral cancer. We want you to be mindful and aware of the risks so that you can change your lifestyle if necessary. Risk factors for mouth and oral cancer include:

Smoking and Chewing Tobacco

For many years, you have heard about the dangers of smoking and chewing tobacco in terms of your oral and overall health. Anyone who is frequently around secondhand smoke is also at higher risk for developing mouth cancer.

Sunlight and Tanning Beds

We hope you are using sunscreen when you are out in the sun. We want to remind you to be sure you are also using sunscreen protection on your lips as well. Ultraviolet radiation caused by direct natural sunlight and tanning beds can cause cancerous skin cells to develop on and just inside the lips.

If you believe you have any of the risk factors mentioned above, please call our office located in Bernardsville, NJ to schedule your next appointment. It is important to make your oral health a priority. We want to be sure you are current on your cleanings and help take care of any treatments you have been putting off. We hope to see you soon.

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