Oral Cancer and Alcohol

Screenings for oral cancer are one of the most important parts of regular check-ups, and at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, we’re determined to help upkeep every aspect of our patients’ oral health. To that end, we wanted to pass along some recent findings by the American Society of Clinical Oncology linking oral cancer to alcohol.

Tobacco usage and HPV are the best-known and researched causes of oral cancer. We’ve known for a long time that smoking combined with heavy drinking is extremely dangerous, but scientists had difficulty determining the carcinogenic effect of alcohol on its own. After reviewing the available literature, the ASCO concluded that 5% of new cancers globally are caused by alcohol and that oral and oropharyngeal cancers are among the types alcohol causes. It may be that alcohol damages the soft tissue of the mouth and that the more frequently it has to rebuild, the likelier it is that some DNA will be miscopied. But regardless of the exact mechanism, it seems that even light drinking poses a risk, although heavy drinking is worse. The study also found that when people stop drinking, their risk of cancer specifically in the mouth and oropharynx declines to that of people who never drank.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit Advantage Dentistry and fill out a contact form.

 

HPV-Associated Oral Cancers

Oral cancer screenings are a standard part of dental check-ups for adults, and at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, we want our patients to be aware of the medical community’s increasing concern about the link between cancers of the throat and the human papilloma virus. Vaccinations against HPV are now recommended by the Center for Disease Control for all children, but while these vaccinations look promising for some kinds of cancers, we are still awaiting further evidence on whether they work for oral cancer or are useful to adults.

The vast majority of adults get an HPV infection at some point in their lives without even being aware of it. Oral cancers caused by tobacco and alcohol are still much more common and deadly than those associated with HPV. However, HPV throat cancers tend to occur further back in the throat, in an area called the oropharynx. Patients are less likely to notice discoloration or growths this far back until their tissue has been badly damaged, at which point the cancer is more difficult to treat.

Cancers of the oropharynx also tend to occur in a younger population than the alcohol and tobacco-associated cancers in the front of the mouth. Therefore, regardless of a patient’s age or whether they smoke, if they are sexually active and feel odd sensations in their throat, they should remember their dentist as an important resource for more than just the health of their teeth.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.