Oral disease and oral cancer are two different diseases in the oral environment that are sometimes mistakenly considered the same. Both of these diseases cause ulcers in the inside of the mouth that make it difficult for a person to eat and speak, but the cause, severity, diagnosis and treatment of these ulcers are different. In this article, we will take a closer look at **the difference between canker sores and oral cancer** so that you can better manage your oral health by knowing more about their symptoms and treatment methods. So stay with us until the end. What is the difference between pest and oral cancer? Diagnosing whether your mouth ulcer is a pest or mouth cancer is very important in taking timely action to treat and prevent the progression of the disease. For this purpose, it is necessary to know what is the difference between mouth cancer and mouth cancer. Canker sore is a common complication that is nothing to worry about, and even without any treatment, it disappears after a while. Of course, in some cases, this type of oral ulcer can be a sign of an underlying disease. On the other hand, oral cancer is a serious disease that progresses and spreads to other parts of the body if neglected. If this complication is not treated on time, it can endanger the patient's life. To distinguish oral cancer from oral thrush, we have summarized the differences between the two in the table below. In general, if you see a sore in your mouth that hasn't healed after two weeks or is getting bigger, you should see a doctor. ### Image of plague and oral cancer In the picture below, you can see the difference between canker sores and mouth cancer. As you can see, the pests are small sores with a yellow or white center with a red band around it. While the ulcer in oral cancer is irregular and red and white in color. The difference between oral cancer and mouth cancer in terms of symptoms Symptoms of canker sores: - Small, round or oval sores inside the mouth, under or on the tongue, inside the cheeks and lips, gums or on the soft palate - Observing wounds with a white or yellow coating and a red halo around them in different parts of the mouth - Burning and tingling sensation in the mouth ulcer 1 to 2 days before the sores appear - Feeling severe pain and discomfort for 3 to 4 days at the wound site - Wounds heal after about 1 to 2 weeks Oral cancer symptoms: - White or red spots on the tongue, lips, gums or other tissues inside the mouth - The presence of a mass in the lips, tongue, inside the mouth or throat - Changes in the internal tissues of the mouth - Chronic wounds that do not show signs of healing after two weeks - Thickening of the internal tissue of the cheeks - Bleeding for no reason in the mouth - Change in the taste of the mouth or the sensation of the tongue - Difficulty moving the tongue or jaw - Long-term hoarseness or voice change - Loose teeth - Difficulty in chewing, speaking and swallowing - Long-term pain or numbness in the lips and mouth Unexplained weight loss If oral cancer progresses and the lungs are involved, a person will notice other symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. The difference between oral cancer and mouth sores in terms of the cause Another difference between canker sores and oral cancer is their cause. In the following, we will examine the cause of these two complications. ### The cause of oral cancer - Allergy to foods such as coffee, chocolate nuts, strawberries, eggs, cheese, and acidic and spicy foods. - Allergy to toothpaste or mouthwash ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate - Damage to oral tissues during dental treatments - Mouth sores due to rough brushing, sports events, unconscious biting of the cheek or tongue - Stress - Smoking - Autoimmune body reactions (immune system attack on healthy tissues) Allergic reaction to some bacteria in the mouth - Helicobacter pylori infection (the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers) - Hormonal fluctuations during periods Celiac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis - Deficiency of some minerals and vitamins such as iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid ### The cause of mouth sores - Smoking or chewing tobacco - Drinking too much alcohol - History of cancer - Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, especially HPV 16 - Weakness of the immune system - AIDS disease (HIV) - Use of immunosuppressive drugs - Excessive exposure to sunlight - Suffering from leukoplakia Comparison of mouth cancer and mouth cancer in terms of diagnosis Considering the mentioned symptoms, the person himself can diagnose mouth sores and there is no need to go to the doctor for examination and examination. However, if you develop a sore on the lips or a sore in your mouth, which after a few weeks not only does not show signs of healing, but also becomes more severe and accompanied by inflammation and changes in the oral tissue, you should definitely visit a doctor or dentist. By carefully examining the wounds and examining other symptoms, the doctor will determine what type of mouth ulcer you have. If the doctor suspects that the wounds are cancerous, he will use the following methods to make an accurate diagnosis and check the extent of the problem: - Biopsy: In this test, a sample of the lesion is taken to be analyzed in the laboratory for the presence of cancer cells. This test is completely painless. - CT scan: CT scan shows the presence of any tumor in the mouth, neck, throat, lungs and other parts of the body. - X-ray: This test is performed to check the spread of cancer cells to other organs of the body, including the jaw, chest, and lungs. - PET scan: This test determines the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes and other organs of the body. - MRI scan: with the help of accurate images that the MRI scan provides of the head and neck, it is possible to detect the extent or stage of cancer development. - Endoscopy: The use of endoscopy in the diagnosis of oral cancer is to check the presence of abnormal symptoms in the nasal passages, sinuses, throat and trachea. The difference between mouth sores and oral cancer in terms of treatment methods The way to treat mouth sores is different from the way to treat mouth cancer. Pests usually disappear after a few days without the need for medical interventions and drug treatments, while oral cancer does not improve and worsens without treatment. If the symptoms of mouth sores bother you or make it difficult for you to eat and speak, you can rinse your mouth with a salt and water solution. It is also useful to use home remedies, mouthwashes, gels and ointments, and over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and irritation and speed up the healing process of wounds. If the mouth sore is very severe, see a doctor to prescribe the right treatment for you. The treatment method that the doctor considers to deal with oral cancer depends on various factors such as the time of diagnosis, the size of the tumors, the progress of the disease and the areas involved with cancer cells. Common methods to treat oral cancer include the following. ### Surgery Surgery to remove tumors and cancerous lymph nodes is the method that the doctor considers in the early stages of oral cancer to treat the patient. If cancer cells have spread to the tissues around the mouth and neck, they can also be removed by surgery. ### Chemotherapy In the process of chemotherapy, oral or intravenous (IV) drugs are prescribed to the patient in order to destroy the mutated and abnormal cells. This method of oral cancer treatment is usually outpatient, but some patients need to be hospitalized. ### Radiotherapy Another option used to destroy cancerous tissues and cells in the oral environment is radiation therapy, in which certain rays are irradiated to the tumors. If the cancer is in advanced stages, doctors usually use a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy to increase the success of the treatment. ### target therapy In targeted treatment or target therapy, the drugs used bind to some specific proteins on cancer cells to disrupt their growth. This method is effective for the treatment of oral cancer in both early stages and advanced stages. ###