Your dentist can tell how much alcohol you've been drinking. Dental exams are recommended every six months, helping to keep your gums and teeth healthy and dental (periodontal) disease at bay, in addition to catching oral cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer a year, and approximately 8,000 people die of the disease annually.
The test requires the dentist to check one's oral cavity, neck, cheeks and head for any lumps or irregular changes with tissue. They will also look for any discoloration or sores.
The risk for developing cancer rises significantly with continued alcohol consumption. According to the American Cancer Society, the ethanol that is found in alcoholic beverages is directly linked to raising the risk for developing mouth cancer and dissolving dental health.
In the mouth specifically, alcohol acts as an irritant, damaging cells and changing those cells' DNA, thus leading to the possible development of mouth cancer.
In addition, alcohol acts as a solvent, aiding harmful chemicals in entering mouth tissues, especially when paired with smoking.
Alcohol abuse slows the immune system's response to penetrating harmful chemicals. This leads to not only the possibility of oral cancer, but also periodontal disease with the eventual cause of bacterial overgrowth as well as the infection of mouth tissues.
Dehydration also occurs with alcohol consumption, causing bacteria and plaque buildup since it is not consequently washed away by saliva.
According to Livestrong, the consumption of more than 10 drinks a week increases the probability of developing periodontal disease, and it increases from 10 percent to a 40 percent risk when raising consumption from 5 units to 20 units a week.
Possible symptoms of oral cancer to be aware of include bleeding sores that also do not heal, soreness or feeling that something is caught in the throat. Other symptoms are hard spots or lumps, difficulty in chewing or swallowing, ear pain and difficulty moving the jaw or tongue. It is possible to experience hoarseness, numbness of the tongue, and changes in the way teeth fit together.
Alcohol wears down on one's dental and oral health, raising the risk of developing not just periodontal disease, but oral cancer as well. It's important to get a dental exam twice a year in order to catch oral cancer and dental disease early.
Sources:
Alcohol Use and Cancer. American Cancer Society. Retrieved April 11, 2012. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/DietandPhysicalActivity/alcoho...
Dentists Play Key Role in Detecting Oral Cancer. U.S. News. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/04/07/dentists-p...
Alcohol Use and Periodontal Disease. Livestrong. Retrieved April 11, 2012. http://www.livestrong.com/article/105205-alcohol-use-periodontal-disease
Reviewed April 12, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith