Alcohol and tobacco attention to oral cancer

Although rare, cancer of the mouth should be systematically addressed before any mouth ulcers, especially when coexist poor dental hygiene-smoking and alcoholism. Early diagnosis can help avoid surgical disabling mutilation or death. Focus on signs that should sound the alarm.
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Cancers of the mouth and tongue represent about 30% of all cancers otorhinolaryngology. Cancer of the tongue, 1% of all cancers, especially key man in their sixties. Alcoholism is one of the triggers. Alcohol, with carcinogenic, stagnating in the folds of the oral cavity which increases the contact time. Tobacco is a further irritant. The risk is very important from 15 cigarettes smoked per day for 20 years. In addition, the association tobacco-alcohol greatly increases the dangers. Malnutrition and inadequate port of prostheses are also criminalized.

Chronic ulceration
The diagnosis of cancer of the language is not always easy to do, especially when there poor dental hygiene or gum diseases and dental who can hide. One of the first signs of oral cancer is discomfort or pain under an injury. The presence of ulceration, bleeding, bud, chronic pain and especially hard on palpation should also sound the alarm. Gare diagnosis facility that is to believe that it is a simple injury. In this case, everything must go in the order after 10 days of treatment and removing the supposed cause of ulceration. Pain in the ear, exacerbated by chewing, the swallowing disorders and salivation and a lymph node under the jaw are other classic signs.

ENT consultation
The finding of ulceration and simply a chronic injury of the mouth should always consult an ENT as soon as possible, especially when smoking or alcoholism important. The prognosis of oral cancer depends on the area (most severe at the base of the tongue) but also of early diagnosis and the existence or not of cervical lymph nodes. The survival rate at 5 years after the discovery of an oral cancer affects about 2 / 3 of patients. This is sometimes at a dental care that we discover the beginnings of cancer. Another reason to consult regularly with his dentist.

Mutilating surgery
Surgery is the first treatment. It involves removing the cancerous area in an effort to keep the jaw intact. It is sometimes forced to withdraw a large portion of the floor mouth, jaw and tongue. A secondary reconstruction of the floor mouth can be proposed. Radiation, brachytherapy and chemotherapy are used in addition to surgery to avoid the risk of local recurrence or regional.