“Watch Your Mouth” for Oral Cancer!
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and here at Spring Lake Dental we want to encourage you to “Watch Your Mouth” for oral cancer by taking preventative measures and getting screened.
Some may think that this is a rare cancer; however, 132 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each day in the United States alone. During your next visit “Swear to be Aware” of oral cancer and post a photo on social media to raise awareness. By doing this you will be entered to win a special prize!
Here are six ways to watch your mouth for oral cancer:
- Avoid tobacco–Smoking makes you three times more likely to develop oral cancer, and smokeless tobacco is just as harmful, because the nicotine is swallowed or absorbed though blood vessels in the mouth and it may lead to gum disease and tooth loss like standard tobacco.
- Drink less alcohol–Drinking more than doubles your risk of oral cancer.
- Know the age risk–Two-thirds of individuals with oral cancer are over age 55.
- Wear UV protection–Frequent and prolonged exposure to sunlight increases your risk of developing lip cancer.
- Watch your diet–Eating fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of oral cancer.
- Get screened–Early oral cancer detection can boost survival rates 80 to 90 percent.
In our office, we believe that oral cancer screening is part of the comprehensive exam and it is a complementary procedure. We encourage patients to be screened at least yearly and to be mindful of their oral health. Paying attention to any new bumps or spots for young and old is imperative and can help prevent oral cancer.
Participating in our “Swear to be Aware” Campaign is easy!
Step 1: Choose a fun social sign, “swear to be aware,” and take a picture holding the sign.
Step 2: Post the photo to Facebook as a public post to raise awareness for oral cancer. Be sure to tag the location of our practice.
Step 3: Receive a raffle entry to win our special prize!
Visit our Facebook page for more information and updates!
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