Keep Your Smile Healthy, Know How to Prevent Oral Cancer Before It Starts!
Mouth is super-duper important as it helps one to talk, eat, and even show off that awesome smile! But sometimes, bad things can happen even to the mouth, just like the worst case of oral cancer.
Now, this might sound scary, but the good news is that we are here speaking about ways as in how to prevent oral cancer. On some of the ways where we can do a lot to stop it from even getting to start. And guess what, you will be surprised to know but yes, the genes are those tiny instruction books preset in the body which can give some sort of clues to help in being safe.
LifeCode is a genetic testing provider, they can help people to understand what their genes shall reflect about the health. Think of it like being a detective for the body’s instruction book! Today, we are all going to be known about how to prevent oral cancer and detectives in learning about how to know if you get some symptoms to it.
What is Oral Cancer, anyway?
Imagine the mouth is just like your house and condition such as oral cancer is when some of the cells might be just like those tiny bricks of the house. Some of these bad cells can literally form some sort of lump or a sore that does not go away.
Oral cancer like condition occurs in various parts of mouth. Some of them might include the below:
- Your Tongue: It shall be wiggly which shall help to let you taste and talk well simultaneously.
- Gums: The pink part which shall all hold the teeth together healthily.
- The Inside of Cheeks: There is a soft lining present, right inside of your cheeks.
- Your Lips: This part can all help you to have a shining smile and long flirty whistle!
- The Roof of Mouth: It is known to be the hard part at the top.
- The Floor of Your Mouth: Which means that super soft part placed under the tongue.
It is super important to find some of the oral cancer like condition early, as the sooner we shall find it, the easier it might be to fix things well!
What Makes Oral Cancer More Likely? (The "Risk Factors")
Think of some of the “risk factors” there are various things which shall make it super likely for bad cells to grow. There are also some things which can control, and some might not do so.
Things You Can Control include the below and you are expected to do so, while following how to prevent oral cancer like issue.
Say “No Thanks!” to Tobacco:
- Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is just a big NO-NO. As the chemicals that is present in the tobacco are super bad for mouth.
- Chewing tobacco or making use of snuff is relatively harmful. It is just like putting those tiny poison packets in the mouth!
- Even use of e-cigarettes or other new things like vaping shall not be equally safe. We are still learning about them, but it is just so good to avoid them completely.
- Why it’s bad: Use of tobacco might have a lot of bad chemicals which shall hurt those cells and make them more likely to be among those cancer cells.
Go Easy on the Alcohol:
- Use of alcohol in excess can hurt the mouth cells.
- While you smoke AND drink alcohol a lot, it is just like putting those two big risk factors together, which shall further make the danger even bigger!
- Why is it not good: Alcohol intake in excess can simply irritate the mouth and throat. This shall be all over a period that can eventually lead to cell alterations.
Be Smart in the Sun:
- Just like too much exposure to the sun can hurt your skin, this can also hurt your lips and knowing how to prevent oral cancer can help!
- How to be safe: You need to remember and wear lip balm with SPF (that is like sunscreen for your lips!) and a hat with some sort of wide brim when you are placed outside.
Eat Enough Amount of Fruits and Veggies:
- Eating a healthy plate full of colourful fruits and vegetables is known to be good enough for the entire body, this also includes the mouth!
- It shall all have special things which is known as vitamins and nutrients that can further help the cells to stay strong and healthy.
- Why it’s good: Make sure that you eat lots of healthy foods while giving the body the tools one might need to fight off bad cells.
Schedule Regular Dental Check-ups:
- This is Just so important as the dentist works like a mouth detective for you. They can help you to spot those tiny alterations in the mouth that one might not even notice.
- They shall all look for some sort of red or white patches, lumps, or even sores in rare cases that do not heal by its own.
- Why it’s important: Finding some of the issues that are defines as issues early and they can all be dealt with things before they are serious.
Be Aware of HPV:
- Condition such as HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus. This issue is a common virus which can also affect different parts of the body. This can include mouth and throat while knowing how to prevent oral cancer.
- Ther is a special shot, known as a vaccine. It can help in protecting you from types of HPV which can all lead to cancer like condition. You need to ask the parents or doctor about all those issues!
How Genetic Testing Can Be Your Oral Health Superpower!
Now, let’s talk about something that is cool and upgraded! Genetic Testing. Remember how genes are like instruction books and how well, genetic testing is like reading those instruction books. You need to know all those special “notes” that can mean to have a higher chance of several issues including knowing how to prevent oral cancer like condition.
Advanced Dental Genetic Testing Is What and Why Do It Matter?
Genetic testing like help on choosing panel Advanced Dental Genetic Testing for oral cancer is a bit just like having a special map. This can all help in understanding when the body’s “instruction book” might have several notes which shall inform as to who might be more likely to get oral cancer like condition.
This is where some of the things shall get excited! Just right beyond looking at general cancer genes, there is also something known as Advanced Dental Genetic Testing. This type of testing shall all focus on specific things like mouth and it can help the dentists to learn more about that oral health.
How Advanced Dental Genetic Testing Works:
- Swab or Rinse: The dentist shall all have some of the suggestions to use a soft brush while helping gently rubbing the inside of cheek. This might be about one thing that shall rinse those mouth with a special liquid.
- Send to Lab: Some of the sample might be about sending it a special lab which shall know as how to read the genes and the genes of the germs right in the mouth.
- Results for The Dentist: The lab is known to send a report back to the dentist and the report shall inform the dentist about all those risks one might found and help in making the best plan for you.
Some of the best benefits of being a smart oral health detective:
- Finding Issues Early: The earlier one might find any of the signs or risks, the better it is turning out to be! This all means we can act quickly for the issue.
- Personalized Care: Instead of a “one-size-fits-all” approach, the dentist can help in giving a care that is just right for the body and the genes too.
- Peace of Mind: Learning about all the risks can all help in feeling control of health. One can also make several smart choices every day while protecting your smile.
- Better Treatment If Needed: When the condition such as oral cancer is found, knowing that genetic information can help the doctor to choose some of the best way for treat the condition.
Sometime even with the help of genetic testing, you need to remember that those daily habits are just so important to you to anyone to stay healthy!
- Brush and Floss: You need to brush your teeth at least twice a day and make sure to floss once in a day. This shall help you to get rid of bad germs and food bits too.
- Watch for Changes: Look in the mouth at regular basis. If you see any new lumps, bumps, red or white patches, or sores that do not heal in a few weeks. This will help in telling an adult or dentist right away.
- Never Ignore Pain: While something is well hurt in the mouth, do not just ignore it. Inform parents or dentist.
- Ask Questions: Having questions about mouth, teeth, or issues like oral cancer. You need the dentist or some trusted adult to work on it.
Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai Experience: Agarwal is a seasoned pharmacist with over 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field. She has worked in various settings, including hospital pharmacies and community clinics, where she has excelled in medication management, patient counseling, and clinical support. Agarwal is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes. is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes.