GLENDALE, California--The California Dental Hygienists' Association is using Cancer Awareness Month to educate the public about oral cancer and to offer tips to guard against the life-threatening disease.
"With 40,000 new cases of oral cancer reported every year, April provides an excellent opportunity to remind the public about this type of cancer," said Susan McLearan, president of CDHA. "Consumers should know that an oral cancer screening is part of a routine exam by a dental hygienist and is an excellent way to detect this disease early."
California dental hygienists are highly educated and skilled in a wide range of areas, including oral cancer screening, smoking cessation, nutrition and substance abuse intervention, McLearan said.
"It is not unusual for people to see their dental hygienists more frequently than their family doctor," she said. "We do much more than clean teeth--we can identify signs and symptoms of cancer, thereby helping to save lives."
Oral Cancer Facts
As part of Cancer Awareness Month, CDHA offers the following facts about oral cancer:
* The most common sites for oral cancer are the tongue, the floor of the mouth under the tongue, the soft palate tissue in the back of the throat, the lips and the gums.
* If not diagnosed and treated in the early stages, oral cancer can spread and even lead to death; an estimated 9,000 people died from this disease last year.
* The earlier it is diagnosed the less likely it is to be fatal or disfiguring.
* It most frequently occurs in people older than 45 and is twice as likely in men.
Prevention Tips
According to CDHA, Californians can help prevent oral cancer by taking the following actions:
* Stop using all tobacco products, including cigarettes and spit tobacco. Stop drinking excessive amounts alcohol. When tobacco and alcohol use are combined, the risk of oral cancer increases 15 times more than non-users of those substances.
* Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, which research suggests may safeguard against oral cancer.
* See a dental hygienist or dentist for an oral cancer screening and regular checkup at least once every six months. Survival rates greatly increase when oral cancer is discovered and treated in its earliest stage.
* Check your mouth monthly for signs of the red, white and blue rule: Red things that do not heal in two weeks, white things that do not wipe off, blue patchy lesions that look like a faded tattoo.
"There are a lot of simple ways to protect yourself," McLearan said. "Paying a regular visit to your dental hygienist is certainly one of the easiest and most effective ways to guard against oral cancer."
