Delta Dental of Illinois - Watch Your Mouth for One of the Deadliest Cancers: Oral Cancer

April 26, 2024

Watch Your Mouth for One of the Deadliest Cancers: Oral Cancer

The little red and white spots on your tongue and insides of your cheeks are generally harmless. But dentists are urging patients to pay close attention to changes in the mouth and to maintain a schedule of regular dental checkups to watch for one of the deadliest forms of cancer: oral cancer.

Of the 30,000 new patients diagnosed with oral cancer in the United States annually, only half live past the five-year survival milestone - that's a higher death rate than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkins disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney or skin cancer.

Why such a grim survival rate? Oral cancer is typically painless in its early stages, so many new diagnoses are of advanced tumors that are difficult to treat. Advanced cases are also more likely to spread to other locations such as the lymph nodes of the neck. And while many assume that oral cancer is just a smokers' disease, nearly 25 percent of oral cancer patients do not use tobacco products.

Dentists have for a long time been trained to spot pre-cancerous or cancerous abnormalities in the mouth. In the last few years the profession has stepped up its effort to detect the disease early, when the chances of succeeding with treatment are best.

"Evidence indicates that treating oral cancer early leads to a dramatic rise in survival rates," said Katina Morelli, DDS, dental director for Delta Dental of Illinois. "If it's found early enough, the five-year survival rate jumps to 80 percent. If it's found in a pre-cancerous state, there is a good chance it can be prevented altogether."

One of the most exciting tools being used by dentists in the early detection of oral cancer is the brush biopsy. Rather than the more traditional surgical biopsy, the brush biopsy is a less invasive, minor chair-side procedure that collects cells from a lesion. These cells are then sent to a laboratory for examination to determine if they're benign or potentially harmful.

Though relatively new, the brush biopsy is receiving a lot of attention. In early 2004, Daimler Chrysler became the first major U.S. corporation to offer the brush biopsy as a new benefit under their Delta Dental insurance to more than 400,000 UAW members and their families. Since then, thousands of Delta Dental enrollees have been given access to the new procedure as some of the Delta Dental Plans within the national system have started offering it as an add-on to coverage.

While there are a number of methods dentists may use to watch for oral cancer, most agree that one of the most important tools for early detection is the routine dental checkup. In addition to looking for discolored patches in the oral soft tissues, dentists screen for oral cancer by feeling for lumps in the mouth's floor and hard palate, as well as in the neck and cheeks.

"We can't overstate the importance of the routine oral examination. It's always been important for the sake of overall oral health, but it's just as important for the early detection of cancer," said Dr. Morelli. "In addition to regular checkups, patients should see a dentist right away if mouth lesions or sores persist for more than two weeks."

Other symptoms to consult a dentist about include:

Lumps or thickening in the mouth or neck
Soreness or feeling that something is caught in the throat
Difficulty chewing, swallowing or moving the jaw or tongue
Swelling of the jaw and/or changes in the way dentures fit

Delta Dental of Illinois is a not-for-profit dental service corporation specializing in providing comprehensive, easy-to-use and cost-effective benefits to over one million employees and family members in more than 3,000 employee groups throughout Illinois. Based in Lisle, Ill., Delta Dental of Illinois offers an array of extensive nationwide network-based managed fee-for-service, PPO and dental HMO plans.