Oral Cancer and Alcohol

We provide oral cancer screenings at Dr. Joseph Dallessandro’s Upper East Side dental office and are a vital part of the care teams of oral cancer patients. As part of our prevention efforts, we want to publicize a new study by the American Society of Clinical Oncology which found alcohol to be one of the causes of oral cancer.

That may not sound like a new discovery since alcohol in combination with smoking was already known to be a risk factor, but the new study was unusual for looking at alcohol in isolation. It found that new cancer cases, including oral cancer, can be attributed to alcohol about 5% of the time. Although heavy drinking created a greater risk, the type of alcohol consumed was apparently irrelevant and drinking lightly or in moderation also presented a risk.

It is still unclear how alcohol causes mouth cancer, specifically. Scientists hypothesize that alcohol breaks down soft tissues in the mouth, which then have to rebuild, with a risk of forming cancerous material each time. But one thing which is clear from the research is that when people stop drinking, their risk of developing oral cancer decreases.

Joseph S. Dallessandro, DDS, and Jiah Choi, DDS, operate at 360 E 72nd St, Ste B, New York, New York, 10021. To set up an appointment, call 212-988-1089, or visit Joseph Dallessandro and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Oral Cancer Screenings

Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for a patient. Oral cancer screening is an examination performed by Dr. Joseph Dallessandro DDS right in his office where he will look for signs of cancer or precancerous conditions in the mouth. The goal of oral cancer screening is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage – when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured.

Many people have sores in their mouths, with the great majority being noncancerous. During your dental visit, Dr. Joseph Dallessandro can talk to you about your health history and examine your oral cavity for signs of mouth and/or throat cancer. The screening will consist of a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck.

It is important to remember that your dentist does not necessarily think you have cancer if he or she suggests a screening test. Screening tests are given when you have no cancer symptoms.  To learn more about oral cancer screenings visit www.josephdallessandrodds.com for more information. To schedule an oral cancer screening with Dr. Joseph Dallessandro, DDS in New York, NY, call 212-988-1089.