Are you oral-cancer literate? If not, then you should be. Oral cancer strikes 30, 000 people annually. One person dies every hour from oral cancer in the U.S. You should be aware of oral cancer, its signs and symptoms, and you should get an oral cancer screening annually from your dentist. In fact, along with a professional cleaning, x-rays, and a general dental checkup, an important reason to visit your dentist biannually is because they examine your mouth and can detect changes in your oral tissue early on. Take the true or false quiz below to find out if you are oral-cancer literate.
True or False?
- True or False: Just over 50 percent of those diagnosed will be alive after 5 years.
- True or False: A sore in your mouth that won’t heal is a tell-tale sign of oral cancer.
- True or False: No matter what stage, oral cancer cannot be cured.
- True or False: The first step in treating oral cancer is a biopsy.
Answers:
- True: Of those patients diagnosed with oral cancer, just over half will still be alive five years after their original diagnosis.
- True: Other signs include: a sore or growth on your inner cheek; a spot on your lip or tongue; a thickening in your tongue; a sore or painful tongue; red or white patches in your mouth; hoarseness; a chronic sore throat; the feeling that something is stuck in your throat.
- False: The survival rate for oral cancer when found in its earliest stages is 80 to 90 percent.
- True: Not all mouth sores or lumps are cancerous. Therefore, if a patient develops a sore or lump, a biopsy will be performed to determine whether it is cancerous or non-cancerous.
ABOUT YOUR DOWNEY, CA, DENTISTS:
Dr. Hadis Reyhani, Dr. Ben Reyhani, and Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh, DDS, provide a wealth of combined experience, along with innovative technology and personalized care, to help improve our patients’ dental health so they can enjoy smiling again. To schedule a consultation, call Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry today at 562-645-4569.
