ORAL CANCER CLAIMS 9,000 LIVES ANNUALLY

PARSIPPANY, NJ (September 10, 2003) – Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer, accounting for 40,000 newly diagnosed cases each year in the U.S. and 9.000 deaths.¹ This year, the focus of the American Dental Association's Adult Oral Health Awareness campaign is preventing and detecting oral cancer. As the state's leading dental benefits carrier, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey is promoting the importance of regular dental checkups in fighting this deadly disease.

"Although everyone knows that cavities and gum disease can be identified during a regular dental checkup, it might not be common knowledge that dentists can also be a first line of defense against other illnesses," said Dr. Scott Navarro, dental director, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey. "Every organ system in the human body has diseases with oral manifestations. In fact, there are 120 different diseases, including oral cancers, that have signs or symptoms that can be detected during a dental visit."

Cancer can affect any area of the oral cavity including the lips, the lip and check lining, the top and bottom of the mouth (upper and lower palette), the teeth, the gums, the front two-thirds of the tongue and the small space behind the wisdom teeth.

"A dentist or a doctor can see or feel the tissue changes or the actual cancer while it is still very small," said Dr. Navarro. "This is significant, because subtle indicators may not be detectable to the patient, but their detection at an early stage may drastically increase the chance for survival."

Who is at Risk for Oral Cancer
Oral cancers are most common in those over the age of 40 and they tend to affect men more often than women. Risk factors include:

• Smoking in combination with heavy alcohol consumption (30+ drinks/week)
• Tobacco use, in all forms (smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes; chewing tobacco; or dipping snuff)
• Regular, prolonged exposure to the sun (lip cancer)
• Habits such as lip or check biting and ill-fitting dentures
• A diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables

"While genetics can account for a predisposition to disease, lifestyle plays an important role in determining who is considered most at risk," said Dr. Navarro.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer
There are several symptoms that may be early warning signs of disease. Those experiencing the following symptoms should see their dentist or physician immediately:

• A sore that bleeds easily or doesn't heal within two weeks
• A change in the color or appearance of soft oral tissues
• A lump; a thickening; a rough spot; a crust or a small eroded area that increases in size
• Unusual bleeding, pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue
• Swelling of the jaw that changes the way teeth fit together, or causes dentures to fit poorly
• A change in the voice
• Pain in the ear
• A sore throat that does not go away, or a feeling that something is caught in the throat
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth

How to Maintain Good Oral Health at Any Age
Studies show that Americans today are keeping their teeth longer. Delta Dental recommends the following tips for maintaining good oral health, which positively impacts overall health:

• Drink fluoridated water and use a fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush and floss thoroughly to reduce dental plaque and prevent gingivitis - the mildest form of gum disease.
• Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugars and starches. Studies show that a healthy diet may prevent the development of potentially cancerous lesions and reduce significant plaque build-up.
• Avoid tobacco. Smokers have seven times the risk of developing gum disease compared to non-smokers. Tobacco use in any form - cigarettes, pipes and smokeless (spit) tobacco - increases the risk for gum disease, oral and throat cancers and oral fungal infection.
• Limit alcohol. Heavy use of alcohol is also a risk factor for oral and throat cancers. When used individually, alcohol and tobacco are risk factors for oral cancers, but when used in combination, the effects of alcohol and tobacco are even greater.
• Visit the dentist regularly.

"In today's overscheduled world, some busy individuals forgo annual visits to the dentist, instead seeking treatment after a problem has escalated to the point where it can no longer be ignored. However, with proper care, it's possible to have healthy smiles and healthy mouths for a lifetime," said Dr. Navarro.

¹ American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system is a national network of independently operated, not-for-profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefits programs for employee groups throughout the country. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.