Brushing your teeth twice each day with fluoride toothpaste and making sure to floss between your teeth as well as along the gumline is important for preventing some oral health problems. This can significantly reduce your chances of suffering from cavities and periodontal health problems.
The American Dental Association further notes that you should also have a dentist like Dr. William Schell perform a dental checkup twice a year. This outpatient appointment is designed to clean away bacterial deposits while also monitoring your mouth for any developing oral health problems. This also includes a screening for signs of oral and pharyngeal cancer.
Early detection of these serious oral health problems is essential for treatment success rates. It’s estimated that the 5-year relative survival rates for oral and pharyngeal cancer sufferers is 83% so long as the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment success rates start to drop significantly if the cancer spreads to a nearby lymph node or it metastasizes to another part of the body.
Early symptoms such as lingering pain in your mouth, as well as swelling, or a lump in your cheek, or gums, should not be ignored. Red or white areas on your gums, tongue, or tonsils could also be a sign of developing oral cancer.
Pharyngeal cancer symptoms sometimes include a persistent sore throat or a feeling like something is stuck in the back of your throat. It could also cause discomfort when swallowing.
Oral or pharyngeal cancer sufferers might also experience flu-like symptoms, which might include respiratory distress, a low-grade fever, inflammation, body aches, and joint pain.
If you live in the Plano, Texas, area, and you have concerns about oral or pharyngeal cancer, you should call 972-618-0084 to schedule a checkup and screening at William W. Schell, DDS.