By Alexander Germanis
All the sciences — physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, etc. — understand the principle of causality. Causality, the principle that for every effect there is a cause, is utilized by the medical sciences as much as in any other scientific endeavor.
Knowing the source or cause of a disease is often the first step in trying to combat it; it is also, of course, the best way to prevent it.
Oral cancer is one such disease medical science is trying to treat and especially trying to prevent. As described in the first part of the series, oral cancer encompasses several different cancers: cancer of the lips, the floor of the mouth, the hard and soft palates, the sinuses, the tongue and the pharynx, or throat.
Getting an oral cancer screening is, naturally, the first step in preventing oral cancer. Dental hygienists, like those at McLean County Dental — Jill, Christie, and Kelly, are all trained and skilled to know what to look for.
Avoiding the myriad causes of oral cancer should, in most cases, make those cancer screenings a mere formality. Certain lifestyle choices, habits, and indeed other diseases have been linked to the onset of oral cancer.
Quite often, the fear associated with tobacco is that of lung cancer, but smoking and chewing tobacco are both major contributors to oral cancer as well. “People who smoke and drink alcohol are going to have a higher incidence,” confirms Jill. “People who use smokeless tobacco have a 50 times higher incidence rate.”
For those who do not drink or use tobacco products, they are not necessarily out of the woods. “For younger, non-smoking patients under the age of 50, the fastest growing segment of oral cancer is due to the human papillomavirus (HPV),” says Christie. “It’s found in men and women in their 20s and 30s and is rapidly replacing tobacco use as the primary cause of oral cancer.”
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, indeed the most commonly transmitted disease through sexual contact. Although it does clear up on its own in most cases, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it can still often lead to a number of problems, among which are oral cancers and, in women, cervical cancer.
HPV is so common, 70 percent of people get it in their lifetime, says Kelly.
“Before HPV became prevalent, you didn’t really see oral cancer in a 20 year-old unless they chewed tobacco,” Jill adds.
Although HPV is rapidly becoming the number one cause of oral cancer, at least in the younger portion of the population, there are still other risk factors. Ultraviolet light from the sun has proven to be a cause of oral cancer, specifically cancer of the lip. This is a higher risk for people who spend a considerable amount of time outside during the day. In a mostly rural area such as Central Illinois, where farms make up the majority of the landscape, extended exposure to ultraviolet rays can be a serious problem.
Although oral cancer can be caused by too much of certain things, there is also a risk associated with not having enough of other things. Studies have shown a diet low in fruits and vegetables can be linked to higher chances of oral cancer.
Genetics, of course, can also play a role in getting oral cancer.
Oral cancer screenings should become a part of your semi-annual routine, even if you don’t have any risk factors. Make certain that your dentist or dental hygienist performs a screening the next time you get a check-up.
To learn more about the ways to minimize your risk of getting oral cancer, read next month’s Healthy Cells Magazine.
For more information or to schedule a dental check-up, you may contact Emil Verban Jr., DDS at 309-662-8448 or visit www.mcleancountydental.com. McLean County Dental is located at 2103 E. Washington Street in Bloomington. Dr. Verban provides his patients both general dentistry expertise and the ability to provide specialized services such as sedation dentistry, cosmetic procedures and dental implants.