Dr Dental Dental Insurance – Facts about Oral Cancer
Facts you may not know about Oral Cancer
* Statistics reveal that one person dies every hour from oral cancer, and that number is increasing.
* Oral Cancers are much more common in men than women and increase as you age.
* Oral Cancers are about equally common in black and white people; however, Black men die at a higher rate than their White counterparts.
* Much of the risk of mouth cancer is tobacco use (cigarette and chew) and drinking alcohol.
* Most people who are diagnosed with these cancers are older, around the age of 60.
* There has been an increase in cases of Throat Cancer linked to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection in both men and women.
* Most people diagnosed with HPV-related cancers are younger, around 40-50 years of age.
* The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States are for 2023:
- About 54,540 new cases of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer
- About 11,580 deaths from oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer
* Overall, the lifetime risk of developing oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer is about 1 in 60 for men and 1 in 141 for women.
On the more positive side, your dentist can help identify oral cancer early so treatment can begin fast to improve the prognosis. In addition, people who have dental insurance are more likely to visit their dentist regularly. Make sure to see your dentist at least twice a year and have a good dental insurance plan to save money on your dental care needs.