Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer can be successfully treated and has a higher survival rate if detected early. The risk factors for oral cancer include positive family history, chewing or smoking tobacco and alcohol intake. Oral cancer can involve all areas of the mouth including the tongue, inner lining of cheeks, floor of the mouth, salivary glands, gums, lips and even tonsils.
Mouth cancer symptoms if recognized early and medical attention is sought immediately, chances of and the duration of survival significantly improve. For all you backwoods dippers out there, that means that the sooner your mouth cancer is found, the more likely your gonna live.
What Are The Mouth Cancer Symptoms?
There are various mouth cancer symptoms which your should keep in mind if your a chewing tobacco user, they include:
These mouth cancer symptoms from dipping shouldn’t be ignored or taken lightly.
1. Red or White Spots:
Red or white spots within the mouth or lip that persist for more than two weeks. Any color changes in the mouth should rise suspicion of oral cancer, and should be checked out by a medical doctor or a specialist.
2. Irregular Spots or Ulcers:
Irregular spots or ulcers that don’t heal within two weeks, and may even bleed, are one of the early mouth cancer symptoms. If they are present in your mouth, you need medical attention.
3. Lumps or Swelling:
Any lump or swelling in the mouth, lips or throat should be cause for worry. See a doctor.
4. Crust or Ulcer:
Any ulcer, crust, thickening of skin inside the mouth or swelling in the mouth that changes appearance and has irregular margins should be seen by a doctor or specialist.
5. Numbness or Pain:
Any numbness or pain in the mouth experienced should be taken seriously. This is one of the symptoms of mouth cancer, and you should see a doctor.
6. Affect on Function:
Any difficulty in chewing or speaking can be suggestive of cancer, and should seen by a medical professional.
7. Swelling of Neck Glands:
Swelling of glands (lymph nodes) in the neck which may become apparent. They swell up when there spread of the cancer also called metastasis to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes also swell up when their drainage is impaired or there is an infection. This can be serious and could be a sign that the cancer has spread so don’t waste any time, act promptly and consult a doctor.
8. Pain During Swallowing:
Any Pain felt during the act of swallowing or any difficulty in swallowing solids or liquids ( dysphagia) is also a symptom of mouth cancer.
9. Change in Appearance of Teeth:
Any change in the way your teeth are aligned including sudden tooth loss can be a cancer symptom in the mouth. Get it checked out.
10. Voice Changes:
Hoarseness of voice is also a symptom of mouth cancer. This can occur if cancer puts pressure on the vocal cords and recurrent laryngeal nerve, which effects your voice.
11. Fever or Weight Loss:
Any fever or drastic weight loss can be due to cancer. That’s why immediately contact your doctor if you have any of these symptoms or oral cancer.
12. Earache:
Earache due to referred pain. This can be caused by cancer, or pressure from in or outside the ear.
13. Loss of Appetite:
There may be loss of appetite along with any of the above symptoms of mouth cancer. If you have more than one of the above and are loosing weight for no reason, see a medical professional.
Act without delay:
If you have any of these symptoms of mouth cancer, contact your doctor immediately. Oral cancer can spread very quickly and the earlier it is detected the better are the survival rates. Do not ignore any of these symptoms. Your doctor can then perform a thorough oral examination and do some tests if necessary. Tests are usually non invasive unless the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. Most commonly a biopsy is taken to study the extent of the cancer known as “stages of the cancer” and to determine the mode of treatment for the cancer. The cancer may be removed surgically or it may be destroyed by internal or external radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is also given depending on the stage and location of the cancer. Sometimes any two of these treatments are given in combination. The purpose of treatment is to eradicate the cancer and also relieve the symptoms of mouth cancer. Sometimes where the cancer is incurable such as advanced stage then palliative treatment is administered where emphasis is mainly on the relief of mouth cancer symptoms only.
Reference:
National Center for Biotechnology Information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
The NCBI is an awesome resource for information on the symptoms of oral and mouth cancer. If you would like to preform any further study, check it out.
Thanks for the info. I’ve dipped snuff for 12 years until I seen the red and white bumps inside my lip today. This info confirmed that what I saw could very well be mouth cancer. I’m making a appointment ASAP!
Billy,
We aren’t doctors, and what you have may or may not be mouth cancer. These are just the mouth cancer symptoms from dipping that we could find from around the internet. If you are concerned, see a doctor. When you’re ready to quit, head on over to the forum (http://thequit.org), start your own introduction, post roll with your quit group, keep your word and repeat every morning. We will be waiting for you.
My tongue is numb all day and night I hace a like bump at the end of it and it hurts some times is that cancer
Have*
I dip and have dipped for a little while and I have just gotten a bump in between my chin and lip but it doesn’t touch my lip it looks and feels like it might be a pimple but when I try to pop it it just looks like water comes out and it goes down but comes back up what do you think it could be
That’s a cyst man, no biggy. Had one on my ear lobe once. Only treatment is to lance it and let it go away. But I suggest you quit dipping asap.
Ive dippe about 5 years now and ive got a lump in my lip. But its on the opposite side of where i dip. Just noticed it today but It looks like an ulcer. Any comments?
Iv been dipping, chewing for the past 4 months and I usually only get 2 dips a day but yesterday when I took it out my lip automaticly swelled up…im getting a little scared!
I’ve been dipping for at least 5 years and in that time I have developed soars, bumps, red spots. But they all go away in a day or two. If it stays then yes go see a docter. But one cause for these spot is that dip burns or eats the gum basically so there is going to be red spots. Nothing to worry about. A lot of docters have said if you do dip you get cancer well let me tell ya many studies have shown that most mouth cancers hardly have anything to do with dip. Smoking yes and alcohol yes but dipping not as much but possible. But I dip a lot and brush my teeth floss e hole nine yards and my mouth is fine just keep your mouth clean people! Don’t dip then go to bed without brushing. That’s how you develop infections. Just email me if y’all have a response . Also my hole family has dipped for years my grandad is ninety two and still dipps and he has the usual red spot and such so don’t worry till it stays awhile then go see a docter, peace out.
My tounge fills dry alot even though i drink water all the time im 15 and have been dipping reguarley for about 2 years any reason for that? Kind of worried