ORAL CANCER PREVENTION

Cancer prevention is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your health and well-being. We are bombarded with reminders against breast cancer, skin cancer and prostate cancer but what about oral cancer? Oral cancer rates are on the rise among women and non-smokers. Just like every other kind of cancer, there are things that you can do (or not do) to take an active role in preventing oral cancers.

Help prevent oral cancers of all kinds by taking the following precautions:

Keep your mouth healthy – Brush, floss and rinse to keep from developing decay and gum disease.

See your dentist on a regular basis – Part of the regular hygiene appointment includes a cancer check. We check your tongue, floor, roof and inner cheek for early warning signs.

Perform a self-check – Along with the other self-exams for cancer, include your mouth. Check under your tongue and inside your mouth for lumps, bumps, painful patches, red, white or gray patches or anything that doesn’t look, feel or taste right.

Avoid tobacco products – Tobacco product use, even casual use, can increase your chances of developing cancer in the mouth, tongue and throat.

Use sunscreen – When applying sun protection, don’t forget your lips. There are a wide variety of lip balms including SPF protection. Use them under your lipstick or try a tinted formula to replace your lipstick.

Choose cancer-fighting foods – Some foods offer phytochemicals and nutrients that help your body defend against cancer-causing agents. Pepper your diet with cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts), blue berries, garlic, green tea and dark leafy green vegetables.

Limit your intake of alcohol – Excessive alcohol consumption can increase your risk of developing oral cancer.

Exercise – It’s just logical that staying healthy, keeps you healthy. Exercise boosts your immune system and helps you fight against cancer causing agents.

Supplement with antioxidants – It can be hard to eat all of your necessary nutrients so add some antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q 10 and beta-carotene to protect your cells.

Protecting yourself against oral cancer is another important part of your dental routine. If you find any questionable spots in your mouth or just have questions about best practices, give us a call today.