Overcoming mouth cancer is a challenging feat. Like most cancers, the earlier detected, the better the outcome. Yet unfortunately, many mouth cancers aren’t caught until it’s too late. At Absolute Smile, we want our families to be aware of Mouth Cancer Action Month, running through November. 

Mouth Cancer Action Month is a charity campaign designed to raise awareness of mouth cancer and save lives by instilling the importance of prevention and early detection. Mouth Cancer Action Month helps make people more mouth aware by highlighting the risk factors and signs and symptoms associated with the disease.

Mouth Cancer Action Month spreads the message for early detection and shares the sentiment “If in doubt, get it checked out.” At Absolute Smile, we encourage all of our families to pay attention to the activity inside their mouths. If anything, out of the ordinary is noticed, then you need to speak promptly with your dental health provider.

Mouth cancer can strike in a number of areas, including lips, tongue, gums and cheeks. This is why it’s so crucial for families to seek early detection for survival. Three symptoms are important to look out for include: mouth ulcers, red and white patches, unusual lumps or swelling. 

When performing a self-check at home, observe your head and neck to ensure both sides look and feel the same. Press along your neck to see if you feel any lumps or tenderness. Pull down on your lower lip and check for sores. Check along the inside of your cheek, as well. You should also check the roof and floor of your mouth, as well as your tongue.

At Absolute Smile, we believe in communicating the causes of mouth cancer so we can encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce the number of people diagnosed with the disease. We want all of our patients to understand all of the early warning signs so that we can act on any unusual changes in the mouth as soon as possible.