Sprue Doesn’t Heal? Beware of Oral Cancer Signs

JAKARTA, REQnews – For many people canker sores are sometimes underestimated. But after reading this article, maybe that assumption will disappear.

Because if the canker sores have been experienced for more than one month, it could be a sign of oral cancer. “In general, you have to be able to distinguish between regular canker sores and cancer, namely the healing time of the canker sores, the level of the canker sores, the location, feeling around the canker sores and seeing the discoloration of white and red spots in the oral cavity,” said a specialist in oral diseases at Mitra Keluarga Hospital, Bintaro, Rusmawati in a press release, Saturday, November 14, 2020.

According to him, apart from mouth sores for more than a month, the symptoms of oral cancer are also marked by pain in the oral cavity that does not heal, swelling of the chin due to swollen submandibular lymph glands.

Other signs, a lump in the throat that doesn’t go away, difficulty chewing and swallowing, loose or loose teeth around the tumor, a lump in the neck, weight loss and bad breath.

The Mayo Clinic page notes, oral cancer is formed when cells in the lips or in the mouth undergo changes (mutations) in DNA. Accumulated abnormal oral cancer cells can form tumors and over time can spread into the mouth and to other areas of the head and neck or other parts of the body.

There are a number of factors that can increase a person’s risk of developing oral cancer including smoking, drinking alcohol, excessive sun exposure, a sexually transmitted virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV) and a weakened immune system.

The 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data shows that oral cancer cases are around 5.6 percent of total cancer cases this year which is estimated to increase by 21.5 percent due to lack of early detection and symptoms that are often ignored.

From the side of prevention, there is no proven effective way to prevent oral cancer. However, you can reduce the risk of oral cancer by stopping smoking, drinking alcohol, avoiding excessive sun exposure to your lips.

Also, protect the skin of your lips from the sun by staying in the shade whenever possible. You can wear a wide-brimmed hat to shade your entire face, including your mouth. Apply sunscreen lip products as part of your sun protection routine.

You also need to see your dentist regularly for routine dental check-ups, as well as having your doctor examine your entire mouth for any abnormal areas that may indicate oral cancer or precancerous changes.

On the other hand, Rusmawati also recommends that you maintain oral health through self-examination (samuri) movements with the following steps: wash your hands thoroughly, stand in front of a mirror, check your upper and lower lips, check your upper and lower gums.

After that, check the right and left cheeks, check the upper and lower tongue, check the upper and lower oral cavity, check the right and left sides of the tongue and check the agility, stiffness and movement of the tongue.

As quoted from the Medical News Today page, if you experience thrush, try to treat the symptoms and causes such as allergies, infections or nutritional deficiencies due to medication or diet.

For treatment, topical drugs that are applied directly to the skin to help reduce pain and promote healing may be an option.

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