{"id":590,"date":"2026-04-23T19:56:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T19:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/?p=590"},"modified":"2026-04-23T19:56:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T19:56:39","slug":"april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month-heres-what-you-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/2026\/04\/23\/april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month-heres-what-you-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"April Is Oral Cancer Awareness Month\u2014Here&#8217;s What You Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AdobeStock_91503098__1761851877_54705.jpg\" alt=\"Patient smiling at dentist after oral cancer screening\" class=\"wp-image-591\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5010402874976356;width:288px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AdobeStock_91503098__1761851877_54705.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AdobeStock_91503098__1761851877_54705-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AdobeStock_91503098__1761851877_54705-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>April is one of the most important months in dentistry\u2014and not just because of the good weather. It\u2019s Oral Cancer Awareness Month, a reminder to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">get screened<\/a> often and early every year. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer each year. Your dentist can help you avoid becoming part of that statistic. Here&#8217;s everything you should know about oral cancer and how to reduce your risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Oral Cancer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral cancer is a life-threatening disease that develops in your mouth and throat. This includes your lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of your mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx. It\u2019s also one of the most treatable forms of cancer when caught early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, the five-year survival rate is about 86% with early detection, compared to only 40% once it has spread. This massive spike in survivability is one of the reasons why regular dental checkups are essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are the Risk Factors?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone can develop oral cancer, but several factors can raise the risk significantly. The most common include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tobacco Use:<\/strong> Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and vaping all qualify.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Heavy Alcohol Consumption:<\/strong> Especially when combined with tobacco.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Human Papillomavirus (HPV): <\/strong>The HPV-16 strain has been connected with a higher risk of certain cancers, especially in younger adults.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prolonged Sun Exposure:<\/strong> Particularly on your lips, where the skin is more sensitive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weakened Immune System:<\/strong> HIV, long\u2011term steroid use, and certain autoimmune conditions or treatments can reduce your body\u2019s ability to fight abnormal cell growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are the Warning Signs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Early oral cancer doesn\u2019t always cause pain, which is part of what makes it dangerous. Signs to watch for include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sores That Don\u2019t Heal: <\/strong>Any spot in the mouth that hasn\u2019t healed within two weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Red or White Patches:<\/strong> On the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unexplained Bleeding:<\/strong> Especially if it happens without injury.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Persistent Hoarseness: <\/strong>Voice changes that don\u2019t improve.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Difficulty Swallowing or Chewing: <\/strong>A feeling of something \u201cstuck\u201d in the throat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lumps or Thickened Areas:<\/strong> In your cheeks, throat, or neck.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you notice any of these symptoms, don\u2019t hesitate to talk to your dentist or doctor right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral cancer is insidious, but it\u2019s also very manageable if you take prevention seriously. Visiting your dentist every six months for regular screenings is an easy way to ensure it doesn\u2019t sneak up on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/contact-us.html\">Longmont Complete Dentistry<\/a>, our talented team provides thorough preventive care for patients of all ages, including oral cancer screenings as part of every comprehensive exam. If it\u2019s been at least six months since your last exam, don\u2019t wait. Your next visit could be the one that saves your life. Call (303) 772-7000 or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/request-an-appointment.html\">visit our website<\/a> to schedule a checkup and cleaning with us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>April is one of the most important months in dentistry\u2014and not just because of the good weather. It\u2019s Oral Cancer Awareness Month, a reminder to get screened often and early every year. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer each year. Your dentist can help [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=590"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":595,"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590\/revisions\/595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.longmontcompletedentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}