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Oral Cancer: Causes and Risk Factors

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer is usually accompanied by various symptoms, such as:

  • A sore on your lip or mouth that won’t heal
  • A mass or growth anywhere in your mouth
  • Loose teeth
  • Jaw pain or stiffness [4]
  • Tongue pain
  • Pain or difficulty swallowing [5]
  • Bleeding from your mouth
  • Lump in your neck
  • Trouble wearing dentures
  • An earache that won’t go away
  • Dramatic weight loss [6]
  • Lower lip, face, neck, or chin numbness
  • White, red and white, or red patches in or on your mouth or lips
  • A sore throat

Some of these symptoms, like a sore throat or an earache, may also occur as signs of other conditions. If you experience one or more than one of these symptoms at a time or they don’t go away, it is important to contact your doctor or dentist immediately. Learn what oral cancer looks like normally, so you can identify it anytime you see it.

Conclusion

Oral cancer, also known as cancer of the mouth, affects any region within the oral cavity. The most common risk factor is tobacco usage. Other risk factors include genetic mutation, HPV, gender, age, and many more. Early detection is important for treatment. Therefore, it is imperative to contact your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms of oral cancer.

Reference:

[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12180-oropharyngeal-cancer

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/about-hpv.html

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8071138/

[4] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317184

[5] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dysphagia/symptoms-causes/syc-20372028

[6] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752