Everyone is at risks of getting mouth cancer, that is why everyone must be aware of the many symptoms it may cause us.
Apparently, people who smokes are at higher risk, but even if you have never tried even a single stick of cigarette, you are still prone to mouth cancer.
Here are the symptoms of mouth cancer that we usually ignore:
1. Numbness in your Mouth or Tongue
The numbness feeling in your mouth might actually indicate that you suddenly lose sensation in just one part of your mouth such as the cheek of the tip of your tongue.
It might also mean that you have lose some or all of your sense of taste.
Numbness usually occurs when the nerve signals are being interrupted, possibly by a mass of a patch of abnormal cells.
You might not actually feel at first that the numbness is happening, so you have to watch out for secondary symptoms, which include drooling or difficulty in chewing.
2. Lumps and Thick Patches
Both of lumps and thick patches of the skin inside of the mouth could point out that your mouth cancer is starting to develop.
You might actually feel these kind of changes with your tongue. They might feel like bubbles and ridges, or a bit like calluses.
3. Sores on/in your Mouth
Sores that can be found in your mouth might be cancerous are commonly flat, painless patches in the inside flesh of your mouth. According to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, they may have the color of white or red.
Possible cancerous sores may not actually hurt, but they might have the ability to bleed without warning or explanation. Any kind of sores that lasts for more than three weeks needs an opinion and consultation of a doctor.
4. Pain in one Ear
Pain that you are feeling in one of your ears might be an unexpected symptom of a developing cancer in your mouth.
The reason behind it is that, your ears are actually extremely related to both of the mouth and throat, and it is very usual for pain to refer back through the ears if there is a problem in the mouth cavity.
Just like what Men’s Health have said, the nerve that communicates with the back of the tongue also communicates with our ears, which is why your ears might notice the pain first.
5. Loose Teeth
If you feel sometimes that, your teeth are jiggly; you have to get a medical opinion and consultation as soon as possible.
There are numerous reasons behind the loosening of your teeth, but only a medical professional can determine if cancer is the reason behind it.
6. Trouble Moving your Jaw
A feeling of pain in the jaw is a usual symptom, and it is commonly a sign of mild condition such as temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ.
Nonetheless, consider it as a serious warning sign when the pain in your jaw and tightness has been accompanied with swelling and the feeling that your teeth or dentures are not fitting together properly.
That combination of symptoms might indicate the there is something that is disrupting the normal movement of your jaw from the inside that eventually causes pain and lack of mobility.
7. Thick or Slurred Speech
Any kind of vocal changes are an essential symptom that everyone should be aware of.
If your voice suddenly becomes guttural or scratchy, it might actually indicate that there is something wrong in your throat or at the back of your mouth, while slurred, clumsy speech could indicate problems with both of the tongue and lips.
If you have notice either of these symptoms, particularly in combination with other symptoms, immediately schedule an appointment with your general practitioner or an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
8. Lump in your Throat
A lump in your throat, which is often called as “globus sensation” is the feeling of having something that is trapped in your throat that you just cannot swallow. You might even find that swallowing itself becomes hard and difficult.
It is a very usual symptom, and commonly there is nothing to worry about, but you have to consult your doctor if you actually feel like you cannot swallow properly, and if you feel or see a lump in both of your mouth and throat or if you are finding that food and liquids are coming back up.
In this circumstance, there might be a real mass, which blocks your throat, not just the sensation of one.