Oral Cancer Causes and Screening

Oral Cancer is the sixth most common cancer and accounts for about 3.6 percent of all cancers diagnosed, with roughly 40,000 new cases reported annually in the United States. On average, 8,000 Americans die of oral cancer each year, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. The vast majority of oral cancer occurs in people older than 45, with men twice as likely as women to develop the disease, but younger people should be checked too.

Tobacco use is No. 1 on the list of risk factors. At least 75 percent of people with oral cancer are tobacco users. Combining tobacco use with heavy drinking significantly ups the risk. Those who smoke and drink increase their odds of getting the disease 15 times over those who do neither.

Viruses, too, are thought to be involved in the development of these cancers. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, scientists recently linked a new virus with AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), a cancer that has a preference for the head and neck. Oral lesions are present in about half of KS cases, and the hard palate and gingival are the most commonly affected areas. The newly identified virus, called human herpes virus 8, has been found in all forms of KS, suggesting it might be involved in the sarcoma’s development. A direct causal role has not yet been established.

Denture Doctors use simple diagnostic products to detect oral cancer early.

*Information provided by "Dental Practice Report".