Do All Types of Oral Cancer Show the Same Symptoms?
Posted on 12/7/2020 by Dr. Nick Raptou
“Oral cancer” is an umbrella term for any type of cancer that affects the mouth. However, there are varying types of cancer that affect different parts of the mouth. Some types of cancer can affect any part of the mouth, though there are variations of oral cancer that target specific areas such as the lips or the tongue. Complicating matters further is that early-stage oral cancer may go unnoticed by patients due to the symptoms being mistaken for other oral health issues.
Common Oral Cancer Symptoms
Oral cancer often manifests itself visually as an area of red or white patches, regardless of the area where the oral cancer resides. Oral cancer also produces lumps or thicker surfaces on the affected area. Both mouth cancer and throat cancer can cause difficulties with moving the tongue, swallowing, and chewing for the patient.
Symptom Differences between Oral Cancer Types
Whereas all types of oral cancer can cause persistent pain that does not go away on its own, lip cancer can render lips numb. Lip cancer can also produce unusual growths on the patient's neck. Throat cancer often makes the patient's throat sore and gives the patient the uncomfortable feeling of having something stuck in the throat. The type of cancer also determines where the red or white patches manifest; mouth cancer can produce patches on the patient's tonsils, gum, or mouth-lining, as opposed to lip cancer and throat cancer who target their specific areas.
Oral cancer is a dangerous oral health care condition, partially because of its difficulty to detect. Our team is trained to find a variety of oral cancer types, and oral cancer exams are a part of our patients' routine exams. If you exhibit any symptoms of oral cancer, call our office immediately for a dental exam and treatment plans.
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“Oral cancer” is an umbrella term for any type of cancer that affects the mouth. However, there are varying types of cancer that affect different parts of the mouth. Some types of cancer can affect any part of the mouth, though there are variations of oral cancer that target specific areas such as the lips or the tongue. Complicating matters further is that early-stage oral cancer may go unnoticed by patients due to the symptoms being mistaken for other oral health issues.
