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What You Need to Know About Oral Cancer · Talking FACS

• 0:01
  Welcome to talking facts and thank you for tuning into Kentucky smiles on talking facts,
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  a podcast collaboration between the University of Kentucky College of dentistry and the U.
• 0:12
  K.
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  College of Agriculture,
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  food and environment.
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  Cooperative extension service Kentucky smiles offers listeners information on maintaining oral health advancements and dental treatments research and more.
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  Hello and welcome to Kentucky smiles on talking facts.
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  This is your host,
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  Dr jennifer Hunter,
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  assistant director for family consumer sciences extension at the University of Kentucky.
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  Today I'm pleased to be joined by dr yo an oral surgeon with the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry.
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  Welcome dr Yo thank you.
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  Today's topic is really going to focus on oral cancer and what as an individual we need to know about oral cancer.
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  I just want to kind of start with a really simple question of what exactly is oral cancer?
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  So oral cancer is also known as mouth cancer.
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  So it forms in your oral cavity or your mouth.
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  So where it happens is it includes all parts of your mouth that you can see when you open wide and look in the mirror.
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  That means that your lips,
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  your gums,
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  tongue,
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  cheeks,
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  roof or floor of the mouth.
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  So what happens is oral cancer forms when the cells of the layer these the mucosa or the skin in that area changes and it becomes something bad as a person.
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  What are some potential signs that I could look out for of oral cancer or when should I talk to my health care provider.
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  So the oral cancer can come in many different ways.
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  So you know,
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  mouth sores or ulcers that don't heal red,
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  a white patch inside the uh inside your mouth?
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  Sometimes loose teeth,
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  your pain,
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  difficulty or pain while swallowing,
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  opening your mouth for chewing.
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  So look for signs like these.
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  Are there certain activities or risk factors that can increase an individual's risk of developing oral cancer?
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  So smoking is the number one risk factor.
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  So you know,
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  your risk of oral cancer goes up significantly.
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  The more you smoke excessive alcohol usage to can also increase your risk of oral cancer.
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  And of course anyone that drinks excessively and smokes at the same time can also at high risk for oral cancer.
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  So I'm gonna ask what about like the smokeless tobacco products or things that are held in your mouth.
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  That too,
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  that can definitely be a big risk factor of oral cancer.
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  Like the snuff of the dip that you put in your mouth.
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  Is oral cancer something when I go to the dentist every six months for a cleaning.
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  Is that something that my dentist is automatically looking for?
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  Yes.
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  So you know when you go see your dentist,
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  they should be performing what we call a head and neck exam.
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  So they'll kind of check for any lumps and bumps on your neck and then they will be looking all throughout your mouth to make sure that you don't have any things that deviate from normal.
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  Is that what you would consider to be an oral cancer screening or is an oral cancer screening more in depth.
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  Now that is the oral cancer screening,
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  it is pretty simple and straightforward,
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  how can the HPV vaccine help prevent some types of oral cancer?
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  So the HPV vaccine is a very good vaccine to have,
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  as it prevents you actually doesn't really stop you from getting oral cancer.
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  It stops you from getting cancer actually in the back of your mouth.
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  So it's a little past the oral cavity.
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  That means in the base of your tongue,
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  your tonsils and in the oral pharynx.
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  And the HPV itself is one of the biggest risk factors for cancer back.
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  So that's one of the things we push for people to get is to get the HPV vaccine to prevent cancers back there.
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  So if someone has a concern,
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  if they have maybe a sore in their mouth or spot in their mouth or they find a lump,
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  what should their next step be,
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  make an appointment to see your dentist or actually um your primary physician and they can go ahead and do an exam for it and they feel that that's something abnormal.
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  They may probably refer you to an oral surgeon or otolaryngologist to have that area biopsy.
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  Excellent doctor,
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  go,
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  thank you for joining us today and bringing awareness to oral cancer screenings and I'm really and truly the the ease of being able to be checked out on a fairly regular basis you did share with us additional information,
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  a website associated with the UK College of Dentistry on oral cancer.
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  So for our listeners,
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  if they're seeking additional or more information,
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  please feel free to check that out in the show notes.
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  Thank you so much.
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  Thank you for listening to Kentucky smiles on talking facts.
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  Our goal is to provide you with knowledge to support your oral health needs.
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  If you have suggestions for future topics,
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  please message us on the UK College of Dentistry facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash u k y dentistry or visit our website at UK healthcare dot u k y dot e d u forward slash dentistry.
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  For more information.