Gum Disease May Be Linked to Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer that affects your lips, tongue, and mouth. Smoking, excessive alcohol drinking and HPV are just some of specific factors leading to this condition.

In this article, we are going to explain how gum diseases could be linked to this type of cancer.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is a dental condition that starts with an inflammation of your gums due to an array of different reasons. A proper oral care routine can prevent dental problems which may cause gum inflammation. You should treat gum disease as soon as possible, or it will turn into a severe issue. Gum disease increases your risk for many health problems beside tooth loss.

You might not believe this but, about half of all adults have gum disease According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What Is Oral Cancer?

Several cancers in the mouth happen that are categorized in an umbrella term called Oral cancer. Most common ones are lips, tongue, and floor of the mouth cancer, however, they might happen in the cheeks, gums, roof of the mouth, and salivary glands as well.

The main risk factors for oral cancers are tobacco and alcohol consumption; other risk factors are HPV, EBV, family history, poor oral hygiene, and exposure to the sun.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer

The early symptoms of oral cancer are usually hard to diagnose. Based on the area oral cancer first develops, it can cause various warning signs.

As a part of routine dental check-ups, your dentist does a brief oral cancer screening. During this screening, he or she examines your mouth, lips, face and neck, for signs of cancer.

Here we mention some of the common symptoms of oral cancer:

• Difficulty in chewing, swallowing, and moving the jaw or tongue
• Persistent mouth pain, sore throat, and bad breath
• Numbness of the tongue
• Loosening of the teeth
• Pain in the teeth or jaw
• Changes in the voice
• A lump in the neck

What Is Oral Cancer of the Gum?

Gum cancer begins when gums cells grow out of control and form tumors. Tobacco products and excessive alcohol drinking can increase the chances of developing gum cancer. Gum cancers can be mistaken for gingivitis, developing with white, or dark patches on the gums, bleeding or cracking gums, and thick areas on the gums.

When diagnosed, gum cancers can be treated to preserve the appearance and function of your mouth. You can prevent gum cancer from coming back with proper treatments.

You will have your personalized treatment plan depending on the extent, area, and strength of cancer. To beat upper gum cancer, maxillectomy is usually performed, which is a surgical method to remove cancer from the roof of the mouth. The treatment for lower gum cancer is mandibulectomy, which is a surgical operation to combat cancer around the jawbone.

For more advanced cases of oral cancer, radiation or chemotherapy is employed.

How Are Gum Diseases And Oral Cancer Connected?

Some conditions have cascade effects and result in many others. Gum disease is one of these illnesses.

Gum diseases are associated with several health issues like heart disease, pregnancy difficulties, and cancer. The correlation between oral cancer and gingivitis has been proved based on studies.

Tongue cancer has also been reported to be correlated to periodontal disease, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)’s Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

With chronic gum inflammation, the number of oral bacteria increases, affecting your mouth and other parts, spreading throughout the body. A significant amount of mouth bacteria and inflammation can weaken the immune system and lead to cancers.

The oral bacteria encourage the growth and development of tumors and help them prosper. Oral bacteria can travel through your blood to all parts of the body.

Research has begun to find more evidence of the connection between gum disease and an increased risk of oral cancers, though most of the studies are fresh and groundbreaking.

How Can You Prevent Gum Diseases?

Preventing diseases in the first place is much more reasonable than curing more threatening conditions later. Regular visits to your dentist can help to prevent oral disease or treat it while it is still reversible.

You can also prevent gum diseases with proper oral hygiene and regularly scheduled visits with your dentist. Good oral hygiene routines like regular brushing and flossing can help keep gum disease away. Healthy diets and avoiding tobacco also have a positive impact on oral health.

We are here to help, whether you want to prevent oral cancers or examine your oral health. You can leave your teeth in good hands to be cared for with the help of advanced methods.

Backed by decades of experience, our professional staff at Aria Dental offers personalized solutions for your oral problems. Here, we are committed to providing the highest standards of dentistry for all oral issues from routine checkups to complex therapies in a convenient environment.

You can find responses to all your dental queries with various services at Aria center.

Our dentists strive to save every tooth with same-day emergency care even on Saturdays.

If you’re in California, you can easily find us in Orange County; if you’re not, no worries. We are with you on the phone for a free consultation.