In the past decade, the dental profession has seen a considerable increase in the number of oral cancer patients under age 30 who have no identifiable risk factors of contracting the disease, such as tobacco or alcohol use, according to an article in the December 2002 issue of AGD Impact, the monthly newsmagazine of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

Although national surveys show that the U.S. adult population is ill-informed about the risk factors of developing oral cancers, as well as its signs and symptoms, most dentists perform oral cancer exams.

"Patients under age 30 need to speak to their dentist if they are not receiving oral-cancer exams, or if they believe they are candidates for oral cancer," says AGD spokesperson Howard S. Glazer, DDS, FAGD.

In its earliest and treatable stages, oral cancer can appear as a tiny white or red spots that you may not notice. Only your dentist can uncover these painless spots and test them to be certain they are not cancerous. Advanced signs of oral cancer include a swelling, growth or lump anywhere in or about the mouth or neck, repeated bleeding from the mouth or throat and difficulty swallowing or persistent hoarseness.

•See a dentist twice a year.
•Ask your dentist to perform an oral cancer exam and to evaluate abnormalities.
•Quit smoking, using spit tobacco and drinking excessive alcohol.
•Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
•Perform a self-exam look for anything abnormal under or on the tongue and in the cheek and lip areas.
•f a sore doesn't go away within two weeks, tell your dentist.

"The dentist will check the head, neck and mouth for signs of oral cancer and will take swift action if oral cancer is found. Dentists must screen patients who have risk factors and those who do not, since 25 percent of oral cancer patients have none," says Dr. Glazer.

The most frequent sites for oral cancer are the tongue, the floor of the mouth, tissues in back of the tongue, lips and gums. If not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can spread, leading to chronic pain, loss of function, irreparable facial and oral disfigurement following surgery and even death.