Be truthful. When was the last time you visited a dentist? Was it last week, last month, last year, or have you lost track of time?
Typically, we tend to visit a dentist only when we experience a toothache, a type of discomfort that is unbearable. When faced with a toothache, you often tell yourself, “I will schedule an appointment with the dentist tomorrow.”
However, once the pain diminishes, you may not follow through. Instead, you might resort to taking painkillers, which is not advisable, as excessive use of painkillers can endanger your kidneys.
What most people don’t know is that dentists can also detect if you have cancer. This is particularly true in the case of oral cavity cancer. (The Mayo Clinic says the term “oral cavity cancer” is synonymous with “oral cancer” or “mouth cancer” and can present on the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, and both the roof and floor of the mouth.)
Now, if you are a woman and you drink colas and other sweetened beverages and juice, you are most likely to develop oral cavity cancer.
Early this year, March 2025 to be specific, the University of Washington otolaryngology doctors (specializing in research and treatment of the ear, nose and throat) released details of their study on the effects of high sugar-sweetened beverages on oral cavity cancer risk in women.
The research, published in the medical journal JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, examined a cohort of 162,602 women with an average age of 43 years, encompassing both smokers and nonsmokers. It evaluated three decades of data gathered by the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), which explored risk factors for chronic diseases in women’s health. Among the participants, 124 were identified as having oral cancer.
The researchers discovered that women who ingested at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily faced a risk of oral cancer that was 4.87 times higher than those who consumed fewer than one sugary drink per month.
When focusing specifically on non-smokers or light smokers, as well as nondrinkers or light drinkers, the risk increased even further—5.46 times.
Here is the good news. The British Dental Association (BDA) has reported that nine out of ten people will survive oral cancer if it is detected early; however, this survival rate decreases to 50% when the diagnosis is made at a later stage. They cautioned that the ability to access care can be a matter of life or death for certain patients.
Nigel Carter, the chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, informed BBC News that dental check-ups are crucial for recognizing the initial stages of mouth cancer. “Given the current state of NHS dentistry, we are concerned that numerous individuals with mouth cancer may not receive a prompt diagnosis,” he told the broadcaster.
Last year, delegations from over 110 countries came together in Bangkok, Thailand to produce national roadmaps and negotiate a joint declaration on oral health at the first-ever global oral health meeting organized by the World Health Organization (WHO).
During the said gathering, it was reported that oral diseases are now the most common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) around the world. They affect an estimated 3.5 billion people.
According to the United Nations health agency, oral health is often misunderstood as just dental health, overlooking its broader importance. Oral diseases include dental caries or cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, oral cancer, noma and birth defects, affecting the mouth, teeth and facial structures that are essential for eating, breathing and speaking.
“Oral health is an important part of well-being, yet millions of people lack access to the services they need to protect and promote their oral health,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The said gathering came out with the Bangkok declaration on oral health, which seeks to guarantee oral health as a fundamental human right. It recognizes that improving access to affordable oral health care cannot be achieved without integrating it into primary health care and universal health care packages.
In the Philippines, oral problems are more pronounced among children. In a national oral health survey, it was found that 97.1% of 6-year-old children suffer from tooth decay. More than four out of every five children of this subgroup manifested symptoms of dentinogenic infection. In addition, 78.4% of 12-year-old children suffer from dental caries of which 49.7% of them manifested symptoms of dentinogenic infection.
Filipinos bear the burden of gum diseases early in their childhood. Periodontal disease, as dental experts call gum disease, is one of the most prevalent chronic disorders. A diet rich in refined sugars is largely to blame.
The oral health survey showed 74% of 12-year-old children suffer from gingivitis. “If not treated early, these children become susceptible to irreversible periodontal disease as they enter adolescence and approach adulthood,” the study said.
Gingivitis is the earliest stage of periodontal disease. In its more serious form, it is known as periodontitis, where the gums can pull away from the tooth, bone can be lost, and the teeth may loosen or even fall out.
“Oral health is fundamental to overall health, well-being and quality of life,” says the Department of Health. “A healthy mouth enables people to eat, speak, and socialize without pain, discomfort or embarrassment.”
