Mouth

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Mouth Biography
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jos?, California.

Formed in 1994, the band comprised Steve Harwell (lead vocals), Greg Camp (guitar), Paul De Lisle (bass), and Kevin Coleman (original drummer). Their hit songs include "Walkin' on the Sun" (1997) and "All Star" (1999).

Focused at times playing third wave ska music, the band has adopted retro styles spanning several decades of popular music, as well as performing covers of popular songs such as The Monkees' "I'm a Believer", War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" and The Beatles' "Getting Better". The band's 1999 release Astro Lounge is their most critically and commercially successful album to date.

History

Early years
In 1994 in San Jos?, California, Steve Harwell was a veteran of a disbanded rap group called F.O.S. which had released only one single, "Big Black Boots", available only on vinyl. His former manager was Kevin Coleman. Harwell wanted to form a rock band, so Coleman introduced him to friends guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul De Lisle, both veterans of a local punk band called Lackadaddy. They met and held their first rehearsal later, with Coleman on drums. They named themselves Smash Mouth after a football term coined by Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, describing a style of hard, straightforward and bare-knuckles rock-and-roll. For the most part, the band played ska punk, somewhat popular at the time, although Harwell has since claimed that the band is variously influenced.

Smash Mouth got its break in 1996 when San Jos? rock radio station KOME played a demo of the band's song "Nervous in the Alley" which achieved some notoriety. The group was signed by Interscope Records after a show, and Smash Mouth released a first album, Fush Yu Mang the next year, sporting a title in a font suggesting Oriental characters.

Fush Yu Mang
Fush Yu Mang is an intentional misspelling of "fuck you, man." The band explained in interviews that the name was inspired by watching an edited version of Scarface on TV. Fittingly, this is the only Smash Mouth album to be labeled by the Parental Advisory. "Walkin' on the Sun" was Smash Mouth's first major single, released in 1997. The opening riff and backbone of the tune is borrowed from the opening riff of "Swan's Splashdown", from the 1966 Perrey and Kingsley album The In Sound From Way Out! (considered to be the first-ever mainstream electronic music album). The lyrics in "Walkin' on the Sun" present an ironic and implied Generation X view of the hippie movement: that it extolled ideals of peace and love, then exchanged them for commerce. The song was the lead single from Fush Yu Mang. The album combined light-hearted fun with songs exposing a darker side, such as "Disconnect the Dots" and the aforementioned "Nervous in the Alley". "Let's Rock" did moderately well as the third and final single, and the album went double platinum.

Astro Lounge
Smash Mouth released their second album, Astro Lounge, in 1999. This album involved much less of the band's previous ska influence. It is more laid back, sophisticated and retro-sounding, and to a point, poppy. Although the change drove away some of the original fanbase, many new fans discovered Smash Mouth, and Astro Lounge is possibly the most critically acclaimed album from the group.

The Astro Lounge single "All Star" became popular in mid-1999, and it was featured on the soundtracks for the films Mystery Men and Inspector Gadget and later Shrek and Rat Race. "All Star" was followed by another single, "Then the Morning Comes". "Stoned" and "Waste" followed and did moderately well as singles. Astro Lounge was certified triple platinum. Kevin Coleman quit the band following the release of Astro Lounge due to lower back problems. He was replaced on tour by Mitch Marine (formerly with Tripping Daisy and Brave Combo) and later by Michael Urbano.

An instrumental cover of "Then the Morning Comes" by David Benoit subsequently became a hit on smooth jazz radio stations.

Smash Mouth
In 2001, Smash Mouth covered The Monkees hit "I'm a Believer". It was featured on the Shrek movie soundtrack as well as Smash Mouth's eponymous album Smash Mouth. However, as the song was released on the Shrek soundtrack first, it is believed many people purchased that album instead of Smash Mouth's own, contributing to poorer sales than their previous albums. Nonetheless, Smash Mouth had moderate success. With its singles "Holiday in My Head", "Pacific Coast Party", and "Shoes n' Hats" to support it, along with "Forcefield", the album was certified Gold.

Get the Picture?
Get the Picture? was the next Smash Mouth album, released in 2003. The album sold a disappointing 33,000 units, especially compared to the way Smash Mouth has sold in the past. A moderately popular single, "You Are My Number One" attracted some attention, while the singles "Hang On" from The Cat in the Hat (film) and "Always Gets Her Way" flopped. Due to the low sales as well as the band's concerns of loss of creative control, Smash Mouth was dropped from Interscope. 2003 also saw the release of the animated film The Jungle Book 2 which features the band on the soundtrack singing the Sherman Brothers song "I Wanna Be Like You".

Following Get the Picture?s run the band very much fell out of the public eye that they had been in for the past few years. As a few years went by the bands whereabouts were very much unknown to the public, with the only hints of their existence being a few songs recorded for movie soundtracks by Steve Harwell only, leading many to believe that Smash Mouth had broken up and Harwell had gone solo.

Following their signing to Universal Records, Smash Mouth released a greatest hits compilation All Star Smash Hits in 2005. The album contains some of the more popular songs from previous Smash Mouth albums, as well as songs from soundtrack albums which were not on the band's own releases. On certain networks and timeslots, the album was advertised as having 18 tracks, including Flo and Beer Goggles. Smash Mouth played at Gumby's Birthday Celebration in August 2005.

Gift of Rock
In December 2005, the band released a Christmas album Gift of Rock. It featured covers of Christmas songs by many artists, such as The Kinks and The Ramones, and one original song, "Baggage Claim".

Hiatus, Old Habits
Smash Mouth's fifth studio album, Old Habits, was expected to be released in early 2006. The band had said that the album was much more like the Ska Punk featured on Fush Yu Mang and The East Bay Sessions. In September 2005, the band performed what was tentatively going to be the album's first single, "Getaway Car", on Last Call with Carson Daly. The album was delayed many times, in the hope of gaining publicity with Steve's appearance on the reality show The Surreal Life. Smash Mouth returned to the studio intent on making their new record better. Old Habits was shelved, replaced by Summer Girl, which included some remixed Old Habits tracks as well as new songs. After being delayed in much the same way Old Habits was for several months, the album was released on , 2006. Smash Mouth let Sony Pictures use much of their music from Summer Girl and other songs for the movie Zoom, whose opening titles credit the film's music to the band.

Summer Girl and Future
Before the release of Summer Girl, the Smash Mouth community was surprised when drummer Michael Urbano left the band without warning on , 2006 due to creative differences. The band found a new drummer, Jason Sutter, best known for his work with American Hi-Fi and The Rembrandts. The band released their new album, Summer Girl later that year. In early 2007, just one year after joining the band, Jason Sutter left Smash Mouth to play drums for former Soundgarden and Audioslave front man, Chris Cornell. Fill-in drummer Mitch Marine returned to Smash Mouth and had said that this time he would be a permanent member. However he was replaced in June 2009 when Michael Urbano returned.

The band is currently back in the recording studio, and according to Smash Mouth's MySpace blog, a new album was to be out sometime in early 2009. The group recently appeared on the 2009 Darryl Worley album entitled Sounds Like Life on the track "Don't Show Up (If You Can't Get Down)".

In the summer of 2008, Greg Camp left the band and released his solo album Defektor. Smash Mouth recruited Leroy Miller to play guitar. In the summer of 2009 Camp officially rejoined the band with former drummer Michael Urbano. According to a response to fan mail, the style of their next album will be close to that of Smash Mouth's earlier albums, Fush Yu Mang and Astro Lounge.

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Oral Cancer

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Oral Cancer Biography
The gentle touch of a brush on the tongue or cheek can help detect oral cancer with success rates comparable to more invasive techniques like biopsies, according to preliminary studies by researchers at Rice University, the University of Texas Health Science Centers at Houston and San Antonio and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. A new test that uses Rice's diagnostic nano-bio-chip was found to be 97 percent "sensitive" and 93 percent specific in detecting which patients had malignant or premalignant lesions, results that compared well with traditional tests.

The results of this study, which was led by John McDevitt, were published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. Oral cancer afflicts more than 300,000 people a year, including 35,000 in the United States alone. The five-year survival rate is 60 percent, but if oral cancer is detected early, that rate rises to 90 percent.

"One of the key discoveries in this paper is to show that the miniaturized, noninvasive approach produces about the same result as the pathologists do," said Dr. McDevitt, whose group developed the novel nano-bio-chip technology.

Dr. McDevitt and his team are working to create an inexpensive chip that can differentiate premalignant lesions from the 95 percent of lesions that will not become cancerous. The minimally invasive technique would deliver results in 15 minutes instead of several days, as lab-based diagnostics do now. Instead of an invasive, painful biopsy, the new procedure requires just a light brush of the lesion on the cheek or tongue with an instrument that looks like a toothbrush.

"This area of diagnostics and testing has been terribly challenging for the scientific and clinical community," said McDevitt, who came to Rice from the University of Texas at Austin in 2009. "Part of the problem is that there are no good tools currently available that work in a reliable way."

He said patients with suspicious lesions, which are usually discovered by dentists or oral surgeons, end up getting scalpel or punch biopsies as often as every six months. "People trained in this area don't have any trouble finding lesions," McDevitt said. "The issue is the next step — taking a chunk of someone's cheek. The heart of this paper is developing a more humane and less painful way to do that diagnosis, and our technique has shown remarkable success in early trials."

Nano-bio-chips are small, semiconductor-based devices that combine the ability to capture, stain and analyze biomarkers for a variety of diseases. Researchers hope the eventual deployment of nano-bio-chips will dramatically cut the cost of medical diagnostics and contribute significantly to the task of bringing quality health care to the world.

The new study compared results of traditional diagnostic tests with those obtained with nano-bio-chips on a small sample of 52 participants. All of the patients had visible oral lesions of leukoplakia or erythroplakia and had been referred to specialists for surgical biopsies or removal of the lesions.

The chips should also be able to see when an abnormality turns precancerous. "You want to catch it early on, as it's transforming from pre-cancer to the earliest stages of cancer, and get it in stage one. Then the five-year survival rate is very high," he said. "Currently, most of the time, it's captured in stage three, when the survivability is very low." The device is on the verge of entering a more extensive trial that will involve 500 patients in Houston, San Antonio and England.

This work is detailed in a paper titled, “Nano-Bio-Chip Sensor Platform for Examination of Oral Exfoliative Cytology.” An abstract of this paper is available at the journal’s Web site.

Oral Cancer

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How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

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How Do You Get Mouth Cancer Biography
Mouth cancer has the same meaning as
oral cancer - it is cancer that occurs in any part of the mouth; on the tongue's surface, in the lips, inside the cheek, in the gums, in the roof and floor of the mouth, in the tonsils, and also the salivary glands.

Mouth cancer is a type of head and neck cancer, and is often treated similarly to other head and neck cancers.

34,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer each year, and about 8,000 die (annually). In England and Wales about 2,700 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed annually. Oral cancer kills approximately 920 people each year in England and Wales. Most oral cancer cases occur when the patient is at least 40 years old. It affects more men than women.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Oral Cancer?
Most patients have no detectable symptoms during the early stages of oral cancer. Smokers, heavy drinkers should have regular checkups at the dentists' - dentists are often able to identify signs of oral cancer.

When signs and symptoms do appear, the typically include:
Patches on the lining of the mouth or tongue, usually red or red and white in color.
Mouth ulcers that do not go away.
A sore that does not heal.
A swelling in the mouth that persists for over three weeks.
A lump or thickening of the skin or lining of the mouth.
Pain when swallowing.
Loosening teeth (tooth) for no clear reason.
Dentures don't fit properly.
Jaw pain.
Jaw stiffness.
Sore throat.
A sensation that something is stuck in your throat.
Painful tongue.
A hoarse voice.
Pain in the neck that does not go away.
If you have some of these symptoms you should see our doctor. There are many other conditions and diseases with similar symptoms.

What Are The Risk Factors For Mouth Cancer?
A risk factor is anything that increases that likelihood of developing a disease or condition. For example, regular smoking increases the risk of developing lung cancer; therefore smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer. The risk factors for mouth cancer include:

Smoking - studies indicate that a 40-per-day smoker has a risk five times great than a lifetime non-smoker of developing oral cancer.

Chewing tobacco.

Taking snuff (snorting tobacco).

Both Heavy And Regular Alcohol Consumption - 
somebody who consumes an average of 30 pints of beer per week has a risk five times greater than a teetotaler or somebody who drinks moderately.

Heavy Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking -
as tobacco and alcohol have a synergistic effect (their combined effect is greater than each one added together separately), people who drink and also smoke a lot have a significantly higher risk of developing oral cancer compared to others. Somebody who smokes 40 cigarettes per day AND consumes an average of 30 pints of beer a week is 38 times more likely to develop oral cancer compared to other people.

Too much sun exposure on the lips, as well as sunlamps or sunbeds.

Diet - people who consume lots of red meat, processed meat and fried foods are more likely to develop oral cancer than others.

GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) - people with this digestive condition where acid from the stomach leaks back up through the gullet (esophagus) have a higher risk of oral cancer.

HPV (human papillomavirus) infection.

Prior radiation treatment (radiotherapy) in the head and/or neck area.

Regularly chewing betel nuts - these nuts, from the betel palm tree, are popular in some parts of south east Asia. They are slightly addictive and are also carcinogenic.

Exposure to certain chemicals - especially asbestos, sulphuric acid and formaldehyde.

What Causes Oral Cancer?
Cancer starts when the structure of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) alters - a genetic mutation. DNA provides the cells with a basic set of instructions, much like a computer program for life. The instructions tell cells when to grow, reproduce, and die, among other things. When there is a genetic mutation cells grow in an uncontrollable manner, eventually producing a lump (tumor).

If the cancer is left untreated it grows and eventually spreads to other parts of the body, usually through the lymphatic system - a series of nodes (glands) that exist throughout the body. The lymph glands produce many of the cells of our immune system. As soon as the cancer reaches the lymphatic system it can spread anywhere in the body and invade bones, blood and organs. The cancer cells continue reproducing uncontrollably, gradually occupying more and more space.

Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control.

With time, oral cancer may spread firstly to other parts of the mouth, then the head and neck, and eventually to other parts of the body. Mouth cancers typically start in the squamous cells (flat, thin cells) than line the lips and the inside of the mouth - they are referred to as squamous cell carcinomas.

Although we know what the risk factors are, experts are not sure what cause the mutations in squamous cells that eventually lead to mouth cancer.

How Is Mouth Cancer Diagnosed?
A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) will carry out a physical examination and ask the patient questions about his/her symptoms. If oral cancer is suspected the patient will be referred to either an oncologist or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist. An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancers. ENT specialists are also known as Otolaryngologists.
Biopsy - the doctor may take a small sample of tissue to see if there are cancerous cells. In most cases the patient will be under general anesthetic. In some instances, just a local anesthetic is used, especially if the biopsy involves taking a sample from the surface of the tissue (fine needle aspiration biopsy).
As soon as mouth cancer is diagnosed the doctor will determine the extent (stage) of the cancer. Tests to help staging may include:
Endoscopy - the doctor passes a lighted scope down the patient's throat to see whether the cancer has spread beyond the mouth.

Imaging tests - the following tests may help the doctor determine whether the cancer has spread:

X-rays
Computerized tomography (CT) scans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans
PET (positron emission tomography) scans
Staging the cancer (identifying its stage) provides a universally understood definition of a particular cancer's progress. It helps in the planning of treatment protocol for that particular cancer, helps in determining prognosis (predicting likely outcomes), and also allows accurate end-results reporting.

Stages Of Cancer Of The Lip And Oral Cavity
Stages of mouth cancer and lip cancer are indicated using Roman numerals from I to IV, with I being the smallest and IV the largest or most advanced.

Stage I - the tumor is under 1 inch in diameter (2 cm) and has not reached nearby lymph nodes.

Stage II - the tumor is over 1 inch in diameter (2 cm) but less than 2 inches (4 cm) and has not reached nearby lymph nodes.

Stage III - any of the three possibilities below:
The tumor is over 2 inches (4 cm) in diameter.
The tumor has spread to just one nearby lymph node on the same side of the neck as the tumor.
The cancer in the lymph node is no more than 3cm.

Stage IV - any of the possibilities below:
The cancer has reached tissues around the oral cavity and lip. Nearby lymph nodes may or may not contain cancer.
The cancer has spread to 2 or more lymph nodes on the same side of the neck as the tumor.
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes on the other side of the neck.
Lymph nodes on either side have a tumor that measures over 6 cm.
The cancer has spread further, to other parts of the body.

The TNM Staging Method
This is another method of staging mouth cancers. T describes the tumor, N describes the lymph node(s), and M describes metastasis (distant spread). X means there is no data to make an assessment.
TX - not possible to assess primary tumor.
T0 - there is no evidence of a primary tumor.
Tis - carcinoma in situ (cancer only in the place where it began; it has not spread).
T1 - tumor 2 cm maximum measurement in greatest dimension.
T2 - tumor over 2 cm and 4 cm maximum in greatest dimension.
T3 - tumor over 4 cm in greatest dimension. In the case of lip cancer, tumor invades adjacent structures, such as cortical bone, deep muscle of tongue, maxillary sinus, and skin.
T4 - In the cases of oral cavity cancer, tumor invades adjacent structures, such as cortical bone, deep muscle of tongue, maxillary sinus, and skin.

NX - nearby lymph nodes cannot be assessed.
N0 - nearby lymph nodes have no cancer.
N1 - cancer in one nearby lymph node on same side of neck. Maximum 3 cm in greatest dimension.
N2
N2a - cancer has spread to one lymph node on same side of neck, no more than 6 cm in greatest dimension.
N2b - Cancer has spread to 2 or more lymph nodes; none are greater than 6 cm in greatest dimension.
N2c - Cancer has spread to lymph nodes on either side of the neck, or both sides of the neck, no bigger than 6 cm in greatest dimension.
N3 - cancer has spread to a lymph node and is over 6 cm in greatest dimension.

MX - distant metastasis (spread) cannot be assessed.
M0 - no distant metastasis.
M1 - distant metastasis.
Therefore If A Patient Is Described As T2N1M0, It Means: 
There is a primary tumor between 2 cm and 4 cm, it has spread (metastasized) to one single lymph node on one side, that node is less than 3 cm in size, there is no distant metastasis.

What Are The Treatment Options For Mouth (oral) Cancer?
Treatment will depend on various factors, such as where the cancer is, its stage, as well as the patient's general health and personal preferences. Some people may have to undergo a combination of treatments.

Surgery -This May Include:

Surgical Removal Of The Tumor -
the tumor is surgically taken out, as well as a margin of healthy tissue around it. If the tumor is small surgery will be minor. Larger tumors will require more extensive surgery, such as the removal of some of the jawbone or some of the tongue.

Surgical Removal Of Cancer That Spread To The Neck -
 mouth cancer tends to spread to the lymph nodes in the neck. The surgeon may perform a neck dissection - cancerous lymph nodes and related tissue in the neck are surgically removed. A radical neck dissection involves the removal of a tumor from the neck as well as additional normal tissue of at least 2 cm surrounding the tumor, as well as removing the lymph nodes from the neck. In a radical dissection not only is the affected tissue removed, but also nearby tissue that may be affected (but not clearly identified as such).

Mouth Reconstruction -
 if surgery significantly changed the appearance of the face, or the patient's ability to talk and/or eat, surgeons may transplant grafts of skin, muscle or bone form other parts of the body to reconstruct the face. To help in eating, implants may replace the patient's natural teeth.
Radiotherapy (radiation therapy) - about 40% of all types of cancer patients undergo some kind of radiotherapy. It involves the use of beams of high-energy X-rays or particles (radiation) to destroy cancer cells. Radiotherapy works by damaging the DNA inside the tumor cells, destroying their ability to reproduce. Radiation therapy can be delivered from outside the body (external beam radiation) or from radioactive seeds and wires that are placed near the cancer inside the body (brachytherapy). Oral cancers are especially sensitive to radiotherapy.
Internal Radiotherapy (brachytherapy) -
often used to treat patients with early stages of cancer of the tongue. Radioactive wires or needles are stuck directly into the tumor while the patient is under a general anesthetic. The wires/needles release a dose of radiation into the tumor. While the patient is receiving internal radiation therapy he/she will stay in a single room at the hospital. Although levels of radiation are generally safe, hospital staff will only be able to spend short periods in the same room during treatment. This is because staff members are dealing with radiation every day of their lives and their exposure, although small each time, can accumulate over the long-term.

Most courses of brachytherapy last from 1 to 8 days.

The patient's mouth will swell and he/she will have some pain five to ten days after the implants are taken out. Within a few weeks the pain will ease and go away. Patients may find that consuming cool, plain, soft foods is easier. Smoking tends to make the pain worse.
Individuals in early-stage mouth cancer may be fortunate enough to have radiation therapy as their only treatment.

Radiation therapy is often used before and after surgery. It is usually given after surgery to help prevent recurrence (cancer coming back). It is sometimes used in combination with chemotherapy.

For those with advanced cancer radiation therapy may help relieve pain.

Radiation therapy applied to the mouth may have the following side effects:
Tooth decay
Mouth sores
Bleeding gums
Jaw stiffness
Fatigue
Skin reactions (similar to burns)
Chemotherapy -
When the cancer is widespread chemotherapy is commonly used with radiotherapy. If there is a significant risk of recurrence (cancer coming back) chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy may be used.

Chemotherapy involves using powerful medicines that kill cancer; they damage the DNA of the cancer cells, undermining their ability to reproduce. Chemotherapy medications can sometimes damage healthy tissue, and patients may experience the following side-effects:
Fatigue
Vomiting
Nausea
Hair loss
Weakened immune system (higher vulnerability to infection)
As soon as treatment is over side effects usually go away.

Targeted Drug Therapy
(monoclonal antibodies) - this involves drugs that change aspects of cancer cells that help them grow. Cetuximab (Ebitux) is used for some head and neck cancers - it stops the action of a protein found in many kinds of healthy cells, but is more prevalent in the surface some cancer cells. The protein is called epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR).

Sometimes targeted drugs are used in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Cetuximab is given through a drip into the vein over a period of a few hours during the first administration - subsequent weekly doses take about an hour each.

Cetuximab may have the following mild side effects:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Breathlessness
Inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis)
Some patients may have an allergic reaction to cetuximab, such as a swollen tongue or throat. Sometimes these allergic reactions may be severe and life-threatening (an infusion reaction). Most infusion reactions will occur within 24 hours of receiving treatment - it is important that patients are monitored closely. Approximately 3% of those receiving cetuximab have an infusion reaction.

The Medical Team
In the UK and many other countries a large medical team (multi-disciplinary team, or MDT) will be involved in the treatment of a person with mouth cancer. A typical team may include:
A clinical oncologist
A clinical specialist nurse (nurse specialized in oral cancer)
A dentist
A dietician/nutritionist
A pathologist
A radiologist
A social worker
A speech and language therapist
A surgeon

What Are The Complications Of Oral (Mouth) Cancer?
Difficulty Swallowing (dysphagia) - for most of us swallowing is an automatic process which we take for granted. Patients with oral cancer, especially those who have undergone surgery and/or radiotherapy may find that the procedures affected their tongue, mouth or throat.

Apart from the risk of malnutrition, dysphagia can result in food going down the wrong way, chocking, and lung infections (aspiration pneumonia).

A speech and language therapist (SLT) can assess a patient's swallowing ability via a test called videofluoroscopy. A special dye is added to solid foods and liquids which the patient swallows. The SLT can study the patient's swallowing reflexes with X-rays and determine whether any particles of solids or liquids are entering the lungs. If this is so, a short-term feeding tube may be directly connected to the patient's stomach. The patient will then learn exercises that improve his/her swallowing. Swallowing exercises will have a beneficial effect over time. Unfortunately, in some cases the patient never fully recovers his/her ability to swallow properly. A nutritionist may help these patients by recommending specific foods that are easier to swallow properly.

Speaking Problems - 
radiotherapy and/or surgery can interfere with the processes involved in speaking, making it harder for the patient to utter specific sounds, or series of sounds properly. A SLT can help improve the patient's verbal skills by teaching some exercises that develop vocal movements. The SLT can also teach the patient how to produce sounds in different ways.

Depression -
coping with cancer, its treatments, not knowing what your long-term prospects are, pain, swallowing difficulties, speech problems, etc., can bear down on the patient, making them irritable, frustrated, anxious and depressed. If is important that you tell somebody in your medical team if you are finding it difficult to cope mentally or/and emotionally. Joining a support group, if there is one in your area, has helped many people - meeting people who share some of your experiences can help.
Prevention

Tobacco - smoking, chewing and snorting (snuff) tobacco increases the risk of developing oral cancer. Therefore, quitting helps lower your risk.

Alcohol - if you drink a lot, cut down or give up. If you stay within the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption, or stop drinking completely, your risk of developing oral cancer will drop significantly.

Diet - a diet high in fruit, vegetables, fish oil, olive oil, combined with moderate quantities of lean animal or plant-based protein, as well as whole grains, will lower your risk of developing oral cancer. Cut out all junk foods, saturated fats, and processed meats.

Sun exposure - avoid excessive sun exposure to your lips. Some sun is good for you, too much is bad for your skin and lips. Apply a sunscreen lip product.

Coffee - researchers from the American Cancer Society found that those who consume at least for cups of caffeinated coffee each day have a much lower risk of developing mouth and throat (oral/pharyngeal) cancer compared to others of the same age and sex who only have an occasional cup or drink no coffee at all.

The scientists emphasized that their study needs to be backed up with a larger one, and should only be seen as "good news for coffee drinkers" and not as a source for recommending at least four cups of coffee a day. They published their research in the American Journal of Epidemiology (December 9th, 2013 issue).

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

How Do You Get Mouth Cancer

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Lip Cancer Biography
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), our cancer experts use advanced medical therapies and technologies in the treatment of oral cancer.
We also understand that the side effects of oral cancer can be uncomfortable. Throughout your care, we'll support you with a variety of integrative cancer treatments, specific to your type of oral cancer, designed to reduce fatigue, prevent malnutrition, alleviate pain and help you stay strong and nourished.


Discover a Team Approach to Cancer Care

When you travel to us, you’ll find everything you need under one roof. Each of our state-of-the-art cancer hospitals houses the latest treatments and technologies for lip cancer, mouth cancer, tongue cancer and other forms of oral cancer. Our staff takes care of every detail of your visit, from gathering your medical records to scheduling your appointments to booking your travel and lodging.
Once here, our Patient Empowered Care® clinic brings your medical oncologist, clinic nurse, registered dietitian, naturopathic clinician and nurse care manager to you. With this approach, you enjoy greater comfort, convenience and privacy, by meeting with your oral cancer care team in one room at every appointment.

Explore Your Oral Cancer Treatment Options

To learn more about our cancer hospitals and the oral cancer treatment options available to you, contact us at 888-841-9129 or Chat Now. We’re available 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

Symptoms Of Lip Cancer

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Symptoms Of Lip Cancer Biography

Cancer is defined as the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral cancer appears as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away. Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

The most common symptoms of oral cancer include:

Swellings/thickenings, lumps or bumps, rough spots/crusts/or eroded areas on the lips, gums, or other areas inside the mouth
The development of velvety white, red, or speckled (white and red) patches in the mouth
Unexplained bleeding in the mouth
Unexplained numbness, loss of feeling, or pain/tenderness in any area of the face, mouth, or neck
Persistent sores on the face, neck, or mouth that bleed easily and do not heal within 2 weeks
A soreness or feeling that something is caught in the back of the throat
Difficulty chewing or swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue
Hoarseness, chronic sore throat, or change in voice
Ear pain
A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together
Dramatic weight loss
If you notice any of these changes, contact your dentist or health care professional immediately.

Who Gets Oral Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, men face twice the risk of developing oral cancer as women, and men who are over age 50 face the greatest risk. It's estimated that over 35,000 people in the U.S. received a diagnosis of oral cancer in 2008.

Risk factors for the development of oral cancer include:

Smoking . Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancers.
Smokeless tobacco users. Users of dip, snuff, or chewing tobacco products are 50 times more likely to develop cancers of the cheek, gums, and lining of the lips.
Excessive consumption of alcohol. Oral cancers are about six times more common in drinkers than in nondrinkers.
Family history of cancer.
Excessive sun exposure, especially at a young age.
It is important to note that over 25% of all oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and who only drink alcohol occasionally.

What Is the Outlook for People With Oral Cancer?

The overall 1-year survival rate for patients with all stages of oral cavity and pharynx cancers is 81%. The 5- and 10-year survival rates are 56% and 41%, respectively.

How Is Oral Cancer Diagnosed?

As part of your routine dental exam, your dentist will conduct an oral cancer screening exam. More specifically, your dentist will feel for any lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, face, and oral cavity. When examining your mouth, your dentist will look for any sores or discolored tissue as well as check for any signs and symptoms mentioned above.

Your dentist may perform an oral brush biopsy if he or she sees tissue in your mouth that looks suspicious. This test is painless and involves taking a small sample of the tissue and analyzing it for abnormal cells. Alternatively, if the tissue looks more suspicious, your dentist may recommend a scalpel biopsy. This procedure usually requires local anesthesia and may be performed by your dentist or a specialist. These tests are necessary to detect oral cancer early, before it has had a chance to progress and spread.

Lip Cancer Photos

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Lip Cancer Photos Biography

 Hairy Tongue:  This is a relatively rare condition which is caused by the elongation of the taste buds.  This condition can be caused by poor oral hygiene, chronic oral irritation or smoking.  The far right picture shows a patient who has been treated with radiation therapy for head and neck cancer and has chronic oral inflammation.  Treatment involves good oral hygiene, brushing of the tongue, mouth rinses and sometimes the trimming of the elongated papilla.   The picture to the left is the same patient two months later after improvement in his oral hygiene.

 Black Hairy Tongue:   

Another patient with a Black Hairy Tongue.   This patient had significant gastroesophageal reflux.  Control of her reflux along with the use of Nystatin and bushing of her tongue resulted in a marked improvement in her condition.  the pre-treatment picture is the picture on the right.  The patient's tongue 2 months post treatment is shown on the left.  

   

 The patient shows a hairy tongue on the posterior midline portion of the tongue.  The patient was a non-smoker and was treated with brushing his tongue three times a day and a two week course of nystatin.

  

The picture to the right shows a close-up view where the elongated taste buds can be clearly seen.  

 The patient was treated with two weeks of nystatin and brushing the tongue using a tooth brush.   

 The patient shown on the right has a combination of a geographic and hairy tongue.  This condition does not produce any symptoms and can be refractory to oral antibiotics, Nystatin, steroids and good oral hygiene. 

 Acute Tonsillitis:  

This is a common condition which is usually caused by gram positive bacteria.  If the organism is Streptococcal Pyrogenesis , there is a risk of developing Rheumatic Fever.  Often multiple different bacteria exists in the tonsillar crypts, which can be difficult to culture.  Treatment with antibiotics to prevent Rheumatic Fever or tonsillar abscess formation is usually advisable.  

 The picture to the right shows the appearance of acute tonsillitis due to Infectious Mononucleosis.  The patient was a 24 year old male with bilateral 4 cm non-tender jugulo-diagastric (upper neck) lymph nodes.  The infection was resistant to antibiotics (as all viral infections are). 

 Ankyloglossia or a persistent lingual frenulum is a congenital persistence of tissue which binds the tongue to the floor of the mouth.  When severe, the frenulum should be cut to mobilize the tongue.

 Torus palatinus is a hard bony growth in the center of the roof of the mouth (palate).  It is not a tumor or neoplasm by a benign bony growth called an exostosis.  This growth commonly occurs in females over the age of 30 and rarely needs treatment.  Occasionally it is removed for the proper fitting of dentures.

 The torus to the right has a chronic non-healing ulceration exposing a focus of dead bone.  This is a rare finding and may require surgical excision.  This patient had been on Fosamax for five years.  Fosamax is a bisphosphonate, a medication used to treat osteoporosis.  As of 12/5/07, this complication had not been reported occurring in bones other than the mandible (lower jaw) or maxilla (upper jaw).  This patient also had ear surgery (mastoidectomy) three years previously, while on Foxamax for two years, without any problems.  A year later and off of Fosamax the bony sequestra fell off and the palate healed without surgery. 

Fosamax inhibits bone resorption by suppressing the activity of the cells which remodel bone, osteoclasts.  Some patients taking Fosamax have been found to form dead bone in their jaws ( mandibular necrosis ).  This is especially true if the patient has infected teeth or trauma to the overlying mucosa.  Less frequently, this complication has been found to occur in the upper jaw bone or palate (maxilla).  Treatment is difficult since any trauma or surgery to the area may expand the bone loss. 

For more information:    Marx RE 2005    Farrugia MC 2006    Merigo E 2006

 Severe necrosis of the mandible from use of bisphosphonates in a 68 year old who was undergoing treatment for cancer.  The picture on the right shows an oral-cutaneous fistula with exposure of mandibular bone.  Intra oral examination reveals necrosis and exposure of the entire left body of the mandible.   The patient did not have any pain.  Reconstruction had to be postponed for many months after the drug was discontinued.  View Abstract

  Torus Mandibularis: 

 This is a hard bony growth on each side of the mandible (jaw bone).  It is a benign growing and seldom needs treatment -- see arrows.

 Lip Cancer:

 Cancer of the lip is a relatively common condition.  When caught early, it is treatable with surgery or radiation therapy.  Cancers of the lower lip have a better prognosis than those of the upper lip.  Chronic sun exposure is the most common cause, but smoking can also be an etiology.  The picture on the right shows a T2 N0 (tumor size between 2 to 4 cm, with no lymph node spread) squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip.  The patient was treated with surgical resection and reconstruction using an Abby-Estlander Lip Flap.  

***More On Lip Flaps***     

 These patients have a basal cell carcinoma lip cancer.  It is a less aggressive tumor than squamous cell carcinoma, see above photo.  Basal Cell Carcinoma spread and destroy tissue locally, but do not metastasize (spread by blood or lymphatics).  Treatment is surgical excision or radiation therapy.

 Oral Ulcers: 

 This patient is a 80 year old, with a smoking history and very poor dentition.  The patient's lip ulcers mimic a cancer but are from erosion and infections secondary to her poor dentition.

 Oral Cancer:

 This patient is a 57 year old, with a 75 pack year history of smoking and alcohol intake.  He has an oral cancer involving the uvula (uvular cancer) which has also spread onto the nasopharynx surface of the soft palate.   He was also found to have a carcinoma in the upper portion of his right lung.  See Bronchoscopy Video

 Another common oral cancer is tongue cancer.  The picture on the right shows a cancer on the tongue in a 45 year old male who was a non-smoker.  The most common cause of oral tumors is Human Papilloma Virus which is found in 70% of oral tumors.  This virus most commonly causes tumors on the tonsil and base of tongue.  Learn more about HPV and oral cancer. 

 Picture of an oral papilloma of the uvula.  This is a common area for papilloma to grow.  These lesions are caused by the Human Papillomavirus or HPV. 

Learn more about HPV and oral cancer. 

   

The picture on the right is from a 22 year old male who has used over one can of snuff for the past 15 years.  He has high blood pressure from the vasoconstrictive (contraction of blood vessels) effect of nicotine and gastroesophageal reflux disease (stomach acid coming up from the stomach towards the mouth) which is also made worse from using tobacco products.  The picture on the right shows extensive leukoplakia forming between his gums and lips.   This is a pre-cancerous condition and if it does not resolve with his cessation of using tobacco products, it will need to be surgically removed.

 This patient is a 87 year old who used to smoke 1 pack per day many years ago she was not sure how long she smoked.  This patient has a tumor on both her tongue and right floor of the mouth.  The tumor is over her alveolus and extends onto the anterior tonsillar pillar.  These types of tumors are often treated with a commando operation which consists of resection of the mandible, floor of mouth and tongue; along with a radical neck dissection which removes  the muscles and lymph nodes in the neck.  

 This patient is a 70 year old who smoked 1 pack per day for 50 years he also drank alcohol heavily.  He presented with severe dysphagia (trouble swallowing) and on examination was found to have a very small airway.  He underwent an emergency tracheotomy (breathing hole placed in the neck) under local anesthesia no IV sedation or analgesia was given.  The was then put to sleep with general anesthesia and had his oral tumor debulked.  The pictures on the right show a large oral tumor in the hypopharynx with a very small airway under the epiglottis. 

 Carcinoma of the Tongue:  This patient has a T1 (2 cm or less) squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.

 Chelitis: 

 This is crusting and cracking which occurs in the corners of the mouth.  It is caused by a fungus and anti-fungal creams are usually curative.

 Apthosis Ulcers:  

Apthosis ulcers are shallow small painful ulcers which appear on mobile mucosa in the oral cavity.  They are often found in individuals that are under stress.  The cause of these ulcers is unknown.  They can be treated by applying Amlexanox gel to the ulcers four times a day for 7 to 10 days.

 Cold Sores: 

 Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus.  Once infected, they plague the patient for life.  Penciclovir cream is a prescription medication which is approved by the FDA for treatment.  Other medications, Acyclovir ointment, Valacyclovir and Famciclovir are only approved for genital herpes but many doctors also use them to treat oral herpes (cold sores).  A new over-the-counter medication approved by the FDA is Abreva.  It also effective in the treatment of cold sores.  It is believed to protect the skin cells from viral damage.

 Shingles (Herpes Zoster):  

Shingles are caused by the Herpes Zoster Virus.  They occur many years after an individual has had chicken pox. Once an individual has had chicken pox, he/she will carry, for life, the virus in a dormant state in the cell bodies of nerve tissue.  Over the years, a patient's antibody levels fall and the dormant virus emerges.  The virus causes lesions to erupt on the skin in which the nerve innervates.  In the right-hand picture, the lesions are seen on the patient's right jaw and right half of his tongue.  This corresponds to the lower division of the trigeminal nerve (V cranial nerve) and the lingual nerve (XII cranial nerve).  This patient was treated with a seven day course of Valacyclovir given one gram three times a day. 

 Stomatitis: 

 The pictures on the right shows a 47 year old male with an intraoral viral eruption 24 hours after exposure to caustic chemicals.  This patient was also treated with Famvir (famciclovir) 500 mg three times a day for 7 days.  The probable cause of these lesions is herpes simplex.   

 The pictures on the right are from a 14 year old girl with punctuate viral lesions on the hard palate and tongue.   She was treated with Famvir (famciclovir) 500 mg three times a day for 7 days.  The probable cause of these lesions is herpes simplex.   

 

 The pictures on the right shows oral candidiasis caused by inhalation steroids.  These patients were treated with oral nystatin.     

Stevens Johnson Syndrome:  

 Shown in the photographs below is a severe mucositis with epidermal sloughing in a 17 year of female.  Symptoms started 24 hours after taking tetracycline for a cough.  Blisters first formed with sloughing of the mucosa.  The lips, buccal mucosa and soft palate were the main areas of involvement.  A working diagnosis of Steven-Johnson Syndrome was made and the patient was transferred to a major University Medical Center. 

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (erythema multiforme) is a rare but serious disorder caused by a wide range of Drugs and Infections:  

Including antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, anticonvulsants and a variety of infections (flue, hepatitis, herpes, typhoid and HIV).  Lesion may involve large portions of the skin.  Prognosis is generally good with a 1-5% fatality rate with sloughing involves less than 10% of the skin.  However, mortality rate can be greater than 25% when sloughing involves more than 30% of the skin surface.    Stevens Johnson Syndrome Support Page

 

 Oral Pharynx Necrosis: 

 The picture on the right shows necrosis of the posterior oral pharynx from intranasal narcotic usage.  

For more information regarding the presentation of illicit drug abuse in otolaryngology go to  http://healthtopicsblogs.blogspot.com/ent_illegal_drugs.htm  

 

 Leukoplakia is a white patch in the oral cavity.  It is often caused by chronic irritation or infection but may also be a cancer.  In this patient the leukoplakia has areas of redness called erythroplakia.   Erythroplakia more often represents a cancer.  On biopsy, the patient was found to have a fungal infection.  Fungal infections of the oral cavity may often mimic a cancer both on gross appearance and sometimes even histologically.  

 

 Salivary Gland Stone:  

This patient had a stone which formed in the Submandibular (Submaxillary) Gland Duct.  The picture on the far right shows the duct's papilla in the floor of the mouth, underneath the patient's tongue.  This duct drains uphill, is wide and has a mucoid or viscous secretion.  Thus, when salivary gland stones occur, they usually occur in this duct.  Treatment consists of excising the stone.  Prevention is with hydration, gland massage and using a few drop of sour lemon juice several times a day to increase salivary flow.  

 The picture on the right is from a patient who has a small salivary gland stone in its duct.  Note the dilatation of the salivary gland duct.  

For more information on the surgical treatment of submandibular salivary gland stones click the link below.  

 

Rarely, the parotid salivary gland will for a stone  

View a Parotid Salivary Gland Stone

 The pictures on the right show a patient with severe sialothiasis (salivary gland stones).  One of the stones has eroded through the floor of the mouth.  Two stones were recovered with a third still in the duct.  This patient had a long history of recurrent salivary gland swelling and infection.  Treatment will probably require excision of the submandibular salivary gland.

  

 The X-Ray on the right shows a giant salivary gland stone (Larger than 1.5 cm) just under the mandible.   For more information on the management of giant salivary gland stones, go to the World Articles in Ear Nose and Throat.  Note the size of the stone next to the penny. 

 

 Oral Fibroma: 

 This is a benign lesion in a young patient which can easily be removed as an office procedure.

 Lingual Cavernous Hemangioma: 

 This is a benign lesion but one which is very hard to treat.  Surgery is difficult.  Angiography is often needed to outline the feeding vessels and to embolize the hemangioma.

  

 Lingual Hemangioma:  

The picture on the right is a small peduncular hemangioma on the tip of the tongue of a six year old male.  It was removed under local anesthesia in the surgeon's office. 

  

 Geographic Tongue:   

 This is a benign non-painful condition caused by the absence of taste bud papilla.  The glassy patches move around the tongue and change shape.  The cause of this condition is unknown and treatments are not reliable.  The left hand picture is from a 20 year old male who is at the beginning stages of a bout of acute tonsillitis.  He stated the condition worsens during the acute episodes.  

  

 To the left is a picture of a hairy and geographic tongue in an 18 yr old male. 

 Mass on Base of Tongue:  This mushroom like mass presented on a 40 yr old female with a one month history of chocking.  It was treated with surgical excision.  The pathology report showed that the mass was a benign vascular tumor. 

  

 Sialocele:  

A sialocele arises from the blockage of a salivary gland duct.  The duct enlarges and forms a sac of saliva.  Treatment is with surgical excision.

 Oral-Maxillary Fistula:  In this condition, a hole (fistula) develops between the mouth and the large sinus cavity above the palate (roof of the mouth).  This condition can be caused by dental infections or a complication of surgery.  Treatment is with a two layer surgical closure.   An incision is made around the periphery of the fistula.  The mucosa of the fistula is elevated and inverted.  It is then sewn together, forming an inner layer.  The cheek mucosa is then  advanced over the inner closure and sewn over the defect.    

 The patient shown on the right has a small hole in the middle of a tooth socket.  A tooth had been pulled and a hole was made into the maxillary sinus.  The hole did not fully heal and a small fistula was left in the middle of the upper alveolar ridge.

   

 Lichen Planus:  This condition presents as a white lace like pattern on the inside of the cheeks.  It can be confused with may other conditions and evaluation by a physician is mandatory to make sure other serious problems are not present.  Often the condition is caused by a reaction to medications.  Beta Blockers and oral hypoglycemics are the most common offending  medications.  Lichen Planus can also be associated with other conditions such as Hepatitis C.   Treatment is with oral prednisone (5mg/ 5cc) rinses, mixed (1:1) with kopectate to allow the medication to stick to the oral mucosa.

The pictures below are from a 37 year old patient with biopsy proven lichen planus which occurred during a stressful time in the patient's life.   Her tongue had scared plaques, her cheeks were inflamed.  She also had multiple dental caries.  The patient was treated with a liquid steroid taken by mouth and a topical steroid cream.   Two years later she was asymptomatic without a recurrence.  Although one may think of methamphetamine usage, however, this produces gingivitis and caries next to the dental line of the teeth.

Cancer Of The Lip

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Cancer Of The Lip Biography

Most dentists perform an examination of your mouth during a routine dental visit to screen for oral cancer. Some dentists may use additional tests to aid in identifying areas of abnormal cells in your mouth. The goal with oral cancer screening is to identify cancer early, when there is a greater chance for a cure.

Screening for oral cancer isn't without controversy, though. No single oral exam or oral cancer screening test is proven to reduce the risk of dying of oral cancer. Still, you and your dentist may decide that an oral exam or a special test is right for you based on your risk factors.

Oral Exam For Oral Cancer Screening 
Most dentists recommend an oral exam during your routine dental visit to screen for oral cancer. During an oral exam, your dentist looks over the inside of your mouth to check for red or white patches or mouth sores. Using gloved hands, your dentist also feels the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or other abnormalities.

Many people have abnormal sores in their mouths, with the great majority being noncancerous. An oral exam can't determine which sores are cancerous and which are not. If your dentist finds an unusual sore, you may go through further testing to determine its cause. The only way to definitively determine whether you have oral cancer is to remove some abnormal cells and test them for cancer in a procedure called a biopsy.

Not all medical organizations agree about the benefits of an oral exam for oral cancer screening. For instance, the American Dental Association recommends all adults undergo periodic oral exams when they visit the dentist. The American Cancer Society recommends discussing oral cancer screening when you visit your dentist. But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that there is insufficient evidence either for or against routine oral cancer screening in adults. The USPSTF also says that techniques other than the standard oral exam are being evaluated but are still experimental.

Additional Tests For Oral Cancer Screening 
Some dentists use special tests in addition to the oral exam to screen for oral cancer. It's not clear if these tests offer any additional benefit over the oral exam. Special oral cancer screening tests include:

Rinsing Your Mouth With a Dye Before An Exam.
 Your dentist may apply a blue dye to the inside of your mouth or ask you to rinse your mouth with a blue dye before your oral exam. Abnormal cells in your mouth may take up the dye and appear blue. The blue dye can't distinguish between cancerous cells and noncancerous cells, so for people with an average risk of oral cancer this test isn't as helpful. Some studies have concluded there could be some benefit for people with a very high risk of oral cancer, such as those who've already been diagnosed with one oral cancer and have a risk of a second cancer.
Shining a Light In Your Mouth During An Exam.
Your dentist may use a special light to examine the inside of your mouth. The special light makes healthy tissue appear dark and makes abnormal tissue appear white. Some researchers have reported finding abnormal areas with the special light that weren't discovered during a standard oral exam. But most studies haven't found this to be the case in general. There's little evidence that using a special light to examine the mouth has any advantage over a standard oral exam.
Special tests for oral cancer screening aren't always covered by dental insurance. Some tests may be covered if you have a high risk of oral cancer or if your dentist has discovered an area of abnormal cells in your mouth.

Who Should Consider Oral Cancer Screening 
People with a high risk of oral cancer may be more likely to benefit from oral cancer screening, though studies haven't clearly proved that. Factors that can increase the risk of oral cancer include:

Tobacco use of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff, among others
Heavy alcohol use
Previous oral cancer diagnosis
Ask your dentist whether oral cancer screening is appropriate for you. Also ask about ways you can reduce your risk of oral cancer, such as quitting smoking and not drinking alcohol.