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Maintaining a good oral care routine helps to reduce the risk of mouth cancer by preventing infections and other oral diseases. Brushing your teeth, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash all contribute to an effective oral care routine.  Repeated and long-term gum disease, poor oral hygiene, and missing teeth can lead to infections that put your mouth under high risk of cancer. Make sure you don't have ill-fitting dentures or sharp, broken teeth that can cause repeated mouth irritation and increase your risk of mouth cancer.  If you feel like your dentures get dislodged every time you speak or chew, it means that they do not fit well and have to be relined or replaced. Denture adhesives containing zinc can be toxic to the cells lining the mouth, and should be avoided. Irritation of tissues inside your mouth caused by dental trauma is one of the factors possibly associated with mouth cancer. You can check inside your own mouth using a hand mirror to look for any abnormalities that could be indicators of pre-cancer or cancer. Catching cancer early is one of the best ways to ensure you can treat it before real damage occurs.  Check all the areas of your mouth, such as your gums, tongue (back and sides), lips, the insides of your cheeks, the roof of your mouth, and under your tongue. If you see any color changes, like white, red, or grey patches, you should visit your dentist for a check-up, as it may indicate a pre cancerous condition. Also, check for lumps, bumps, painful areas in your mouth. If you have an ulcer that is not healing, or if you have repeated ulcers in the same area, then visit your dentist immediately to get your mouth examined. Conducting a self-examination at least once a month for a few minutes is a good precaution to take against mouth cancer. Even better than giving yourself a self-examination, is allowing a dental professional to examine the state of your mouth. Dentists have been trained extensively in many varieties of mouth disease. Your dentist will be able to quickly and confidently assess the state of your oral health, and warn you if mouth cancer has developed or could develop.  It is important to visit your dentist every 6 months for a complete oral checkup. You can also ask for an oral-cancer screening test if you are under high risk for cancer (for example, due to regular tobacco use). Your dentist will check the entire mouth and he/she will identify the precancerous changes in your mouth at early stage. These dental check ups are really important to reduce cancer risks, especially in tobacco and alcohol users. If pre-cancerous growths (Leukoplakia or Erythroplakia) are identified, your dentist or oral surgeon will remove the abnormal growth areas. If you have Erythroplakia or Leukoplakia, your doctors will provide you with medication to lower the risk of cancer. This is called “chemoprevention”.  Some drugs tested for chemoprevention are (NSAIDs) – Sulindac and Celecoxib).  Extracts of black raspberries, a protein from soybean has also been tested for chemoprevention.
Maintain a good oral care regimen. Conduct oral self-examinations to check for any pre-cancer indicators. Visit your dentist regularly to get a professional opinion.