Research reveals time and time again that spending time out in the sun benefits the human body overall. You need the Vitamin D the sun provides, and being out in fresh air can relax your body and relieve stress. However, especially during the summer months, you must wear sunscreen if you want to avoid sunburn and skin cancer.
Unfortunately, a portion of skin that is often neglected in application is your lips! As a result, the area in and around your mouth becomes more susceptible to developing oral cancer. In this post, you’ll learn more about this deadly disease and how to protect your lips from sun damage.
How Does Sun Exposure on Your Lips Lead to Oral Cancer?
Just like the rest of your skin, your lips are vulnerable to ultraviolet rays from the sun. If exposed for too long without protection, your lips can develop damaged, mutated cells, which can multiply and easily spread to other areas of your oral cavity and throughout the body.
What Makes Oral Cancer So Serious?
Compared to many other forms of cancer, that occurring around or in the mouth may not seem like it would be more deadly than others. In fact, when it’s diagnosed and treated in early stages, oral cancer has an impressive and hopeful survival rate of between 80 and 90 percent. However, this disease is predominantly discovered during later stages when symptoms become more obvious to the layperson, which increases the odds of death by five years after diagnosis to 43 percent. Right now, one person dies of oral cancer each hour of every day in the United States, and few healthcare providers regularly screen for oral cancers, namely general dentists.
What Can You Do to Prevent Oral Cancer and Protect Your Lips?
Although the exact causes of oral cancer have not been precisely pinpointed, there are risk factors you can avoid reducing your chances of getting this disease:
- Wear sunscreen and/or lip balm with at least SPF 15 to shield your lips from the sun.
- Do not use tobacco products.
- Do not drink alcohol excessively.
- Get vaccinated for the human papillomavirus, which is also known to cause many cervical cancers in women.
- Visit your dentist every six months for a checkup, which includes a brief oral cancer screening.
- Maintain a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water.
In the end, your body needs the sun, but you don’t have to expose yourself to additional risk of oral cancer. Take these precautions and get screened regularly. It just may save your life one day!
About the Author
Already in his career, Dr. Stephen Boyles has achieved an amazing feat: becoming a Fellow with the Academy of General Dentistry. In addition to larger professional organizations like the International College of Oral Implantology, Texas Dental Association, and the American Dental Association, he is an active member locally in the Permian Basin Dental Society, Permian Basin Dental Continuum, and the West Texas Academy of General Dentistry. If you would like to schedule an appointment with this oral health expert, contact Boyles General Dentistry & Dental Implants in Midland online or call us at 432-685-7011.