Soddy Daisy Smiles educates on oral cancer

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and with that in mind, Drs. Robert and Mandy Shearer at Soddy Daisy Smiles are at work to help patients learn the facts and avoid the dangers.

Robert and Mandy Shearer

"Our office screens patients during their biannual cleaning appointment," Mandy Shearer said. "We have an amazing device called OralID, and its fluorescence technology uses a blue light that allows a clinician to identify oral cancer, pre-cancer and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage, thus saving lives."

When found at an early stage of development (stages 1 and 2), oral cancers have an 80 to 90 percent survival rate. The problem is that the majority of oral cancers are found in late stages (stages 3 and 4), resulting in a mortality rate of 43 percent at a five-year diagnosis (for all stages combined).

During a dental visit, your dentist can talk to you about your health history and examine all oral cavity areas for signs of mouth and throat cancer. The screening consists of a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck. Regular visits to your dentist can improve the chances that any suspicious changes in your oral health will be caught early, at a time when cancer can be treated more easily. In between visits, it's important to be aware of signs and symptoms, especially if they are persistent, Robert Shearer cautioned.

The following are symptoms of mouth or throat cancer:

a sore or irritation that doesn't go away

red or white patches

pain, tenderness or numbness in mouth or lips

a lump, thickening rough spot, crust or small eroded area

difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your tongue or jaw

a change in the way your teeth fit together when you close your mouth

"Research has identified a number of factors that contribute to the development of mouth and throat cancers," he said. "Smokers and excessive alcohol drinkers older than 50 are the most at risk."

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. The result will be 8,000 deaths, which the foundation states is the equivalent of killing one person per hour, 24 hours per day. For those 42,000 newly diagnosed individuals, the survival rate after five years is only 57 percent.

"Early detection really is key," Mandy Shearer said.

Robert Shearer shared that another new link to oral cancer is through exposure to the human papillomavirus type 16, a newly identified etiology, and the same one which is responsible for the vast majority of cervical cancers in women.

"A small percentage of people (less than 7 percent) do get oral cancers from no currently identified cause," he noted. "It is currently believed that these are likely related to some genetic predisposition."

Chattanooga does have a support group for people suffering with oral cancer, Robert Shearer noted. Those interested can learn more at memorial.org/support-groups.

"There is an oral cancer walk on June 4 that we volunteer at every year," Mandy Shearer shared.

For more information on the walk, or to participate, visit facebook.com/events/1454347671534701/.

To help keep smiles and teeth healthy and for more advice on the importance of screening and early detection, Soddy Daisy Smiles offers services and consultations for current and new patients.

Noteworthy:

"Our office screens patients during their biannual cleaning appointment. We have an amazing device called OralID, and its fluorescence technology uses a blue light that allows a clinician to identify oral cancer, pre-cancer and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage, thus saving lives."

-Dr. Mandy Shearer of Soddy Daisy Smiles