How to Prevent Oral Cancer: 7 Ways to Stay Safe

Oral cancer can hurt you. But you can learn how to stop it! This big guide will help you keep your mouth safe.

We will look at 7 easy ways to help you not get oral cancer. You will learn what to do and what not to do.

Let’s keep your smile healthy!

What Is Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer is a bad growth in your mouth. It can grow on your lips, tongue, cheeks, or throat.

Oral cancer kills one person every hour in the U.S. But if you find it early, you can get help and get better!

Men get oral cancer more than women. Men have two times more risk.

7 Ways to Stop Oral Cancer

1. Stop Using Tobacco

Tobacco is very bad for your mouth. It can make you get oral cancer.

• 75-90% of oral cancers come from smoking or chewing tobacco
• If you quit tobacco, your risk goes down 50% in five years
• All tobacco is bad – cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco

If you need help to quit, you can:

• Talk to your doctor
• Use nicotine patches
• Join a support group
• Call a quit line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW

2. Drink Less Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can hurt your mouth. If you drink and smoke, your risk is 15 times higher!

• Heavy drinkers (3+ drinks each day) have 2-3 times more risk
• Try to have no more than:
  • 1 drink a day for women
  • 2 drinks a day for men

What is one drink?

• 12 oz of beer
• 5 oz of wine
• 1.5 oz of hard liquor

3. Get HPV Vaccine

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause oral cancer. It causes 70% of oropharyngeal cancers.

The HPV vaccine (Gardasil) can help:

• It cuts your risk by 90% if you get it early
• Best for ages 11-12, but can help up to age 45
• Both boys and girls should get it

In Australia, HPV shots led to 88% fewer HPV mouth infections by 2022.

4. Keep Your Mouth Clean

Good oral hygiene helps stop oral cancer. Bad hygiene can make your risk 2-3 times higher.

Do these things:

• Brush your teeth two times a day
• Floss once a day
• Use alcohol-free mouthwash
• See your dentist every six months

Want a clean mouth? Try these custom dental whitening plates trays for a healthy smile.

5. Eat the Right Foods

What you eat can help stop oral cancer. A diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can cut your risk by 50%.

Eat more:

• Berries (strawberries, blueberries)
• Green veggies (spinach, kale)
• Orange/red veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes)
• Nuts and seeds
• Fish with omega-3

Eat less:

• Processed meats (hot dogs, bacon)
• Fried foods
• Sugary drinks
• White bread

Try to drink green tea and use turmeric in food. They have things that fight cancer.

6. Protect Your Lips from the Sun

The sun can hurt your lips and cause cancer. SPF lip balm can cut your risk by 40%.

• Use lip balm with SPF 30+
• Put it on again and again when outside
• Wear a hat with a brim
• Try not to be in the sun from 10am to 2pm

Your lips need care just like your skin!

7. Get Regular Checkups

Dentists find 84% of early oral cancers. Going to the dentist can save your life!

• Go to the dentist every 6 months
• Ask for an oral cancer check
• Get unusual spots checked right away

Early oral cancer has a 84% cure rate. Late oral cancer has just a 32% cure rate. Finding it early is key!

If you are at high risk, you might need custom soft night guard for teeth grinding to protect your mouth from damage.

Know the Risk Factors

Some things make you more likely to get oral cancer:

Signs to Watch For

Look for these warning signs in your mouth:

• White or red patches
• Sores that don’t heal in 2 weeks
• Lumps or thick spots
• Pain when you chew or swallow
• Numb feeling in mouth
• Hard to move your jaw or tongue
• Loose teeth
• Voice changes

Check your mouth once a month in the mirror.

If you have problems with your teeth, dental implants for one tooth might help keep your mouth healthy.

How HPV Causes Oral Cancer

HPV is a virus that can cause oral cancer. It spreads by:

• Oral sex
• Open-mouth kissing
• Sharing food/drinks (rare)

The HPV-16 type causes most HPV oral cancers. The vaccine works very well if given before you get HPV.

In Taiwan, after public education about HPV, oral cancer rates went down by 10% in five years.

When to See a Doctor

Go to a doctor or dentist right away if you have:

• Any mouth sore that lasts more than 2 weeks
• Pain that doesn’t go away
• A lump in your mouth or neck
• Trouble swallowing or chewing
• Voice changes that last

The doctor will do:

• A visual exam
• Maybe a biopsy (small tissue sample)
• Maybe imaging tests (MRI, PET)

Success Story: Kerala, India

In Kerala, India, a big program had health workers check people’s mouths. This led to 34% fewer deaths from oral cancer over 15 years.

The program shows that simple checks can save lives!

Oral Cancer by the Numbers

Here are some key facts about oral cancer:

• 58,450 new cases in the U.S. in 2024
• 12,230 deaths in 2024
• Men get it 68% more than women
• Tongue cancer is the most common (30%)
• 5-year survival rate is 84% if caught early
• Average age at diagnosis is 63

Community Help for Prevention

You can help stop oral cancer in your community:

• Share this information with friends
• Support tobacco-free rules
• Teach kids about not using tobacco
• Join oral cancer walks
• Ask your school to teach about HPV vaccine

Questions People Ask

Wrap-Up

You can lower your risk of oral cancer by making good choices:

1. Stop using all tobacco
2. Limit alcohol
3. Get HPV vaccine
4. Keep good oral hygiene
5. Eat healthy foods
6. Protect your lips from sun
7. Get regular dental checkups

These simple steps can help keep your mouth healthy and cancer-free!

Take action today to protect yourself. Schedule a dental check-up and share this guide with people you care about.

Your healthy mouth = Your happy life!