How Does Mouth Cancer Start?
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Detection by Dentists
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Mouth cancer can be detected in its early stages by dentists, usually as white or red areas inside the mouth or on the lips. Early cancers can cause problems with swallowing, moving the jaw or tongue, chronic sore throats and the feeling that something is always caught in the throat. These symptoms do not necessarily depict throat cancer, but can be signs of cancerous lesions and tumors at the rear of the mouth as well. Tobacco is often the contributing factor with oral cancer and it is not limited to the use of chewing tobacco. Smoking tobacco can also come in contact with portions of the mouth and can cause lesions to form. Mouth cancers can be caused by untreated sores on the inside of the cheeks, tongue and lips caused by biting those areas repeatedly, or by the constant rubbing of poorly fitted dentures, though these causes are a bit more unusual.
Repeated Injuries to the Mouth
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Any sores in the mouth that are repeated injuries can lead to changes in the cellular structure of those tissues, so it is wise to never allow mouth injuries to go untreated. The use of peroxide, baking soda or mouthwash as soaking agents is an excellent idea as well as using non-toxic antibiotic formulas designed for use in and around the mouth. Lumps can form on the gums, inside the cheeks, on the lips, or on the tongue, and these can cause numbness in those areas, which can result in the slurring of speech so commonly suffered in mouth cancer cases. This is especially prevalent with cancers of the tongue. The first symptoms of oral cancer are usually leukoplakia, which is a white patch or erythroplakia, a raised red patch that bleeds easily. If the cancer is detected at this stage the prognosis is very good and the chances of a full recovery are nearly 100 percent. However, most mouth cancers are detected well past this stage, greatly reducing the survival rate.
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Abnormal Cell Multiplication
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Men are much more prone to developing mouth cancer than women are, likely due to the fact that men are the ones most likely to use snuff. In places where women use snuff, the mouth cancer rates for women rise as well. Mouth cancer is caused by abnormal cell multiplication. Rather than the new cells waiting until the old ones have died, they begin to replace the old cells before they die, causing cells to pile up atop one another, creating abnormal lumps and raised areas in the flesh. Alcohol can be a contributing factor just as much as tobacco can as the alcohol permeates every cell of the body and can cause cells to reproduce at alarming rates. Sometimes the cellular growth is fungal in nature and can be successfully treated through the use of anti-fungal agents such as baking soda, without causing any further symptoms. It is best to see your doctor as soon as possible if you detect a sore that won't heal within 3 weeks, or an odd lump that was not there before.
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