Oral cancer can affect the quality of your life. It can destroy structures responsible for chewing, swallowing, and speaking. If eating becomes a problem, consuming nutritious meals can become a challenge, thus, affecting your overall health.
Luckily, advanced technology makes it easier to diagnose and treat oral cancer. The dentist starts by performing physical examinations, X-rays, CT scans, tissue biopsies, and MRI scans. He then creates a treatment plan based on the size of the cancer, the stage of cancer, and your overall health. He may suggest treatment options such as the ones below.
Surgery
Surgery may be done to treat the early stages of oral cancer. This involves removing the tumor and the cancerous lymph nodes while minimizing damage to other mouthparts. The extent of surgery may differ depending on how far the cancer has spread.
Radiation Therapy
The main aim of radiotherapy is to kill cancerous cells. This treatment option is usually used after the surgery to prevent cancer from returning. It can also be used on its own to treat oral cancer. At the advanced stage of oral cancer, the dentist may recommend a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatment uses drugs to kill or shrink cancer cells. You can get the medicine through an intravenous line or orally. This treatment can be used with a combination of radiotherapy or on its own. Mostly, dentists recommend chemotherapy after surgery or when cancer returns after treatment.
Do you know you can prevent mouth cancer by implementing good oral habits? One way to prevent oral cancer is by quitting smoking or using tobacco products. Tobacco can expose your mouth cells to cancer-causing chemicals. Besides, protecting your lips from excessive sun exposure can prevent oral cancer. You can apply a sunscreen lip product or stay in the shade during extreme sunlight. You can also consider a broad-brimmed hat that can shade your face. Visit us for professional oral cancer treatment.
Our Blog | Water’s Edge Dental | Boise, ID dentist Water's Edge Dental has created this informative blog to help educate the community. Water's Edge Dental, 6657 N. Glenwood Street, Boise, ID 83714-1925, (208) 391-8554, watersedgedentalboise.com, 9/17/2024, Page Phrases: dentist Boise ID,
Oral cancer can affect the quality of your life. It can destroy structures responsible for chewing, swallowing, and speaking. If eating becomes a problem, consuming nutritious meals can become a challenge, thus, affecting your overall health.