Our senses of taste and smell give us great pleasure. Taste helps us enjoy food and beverages. Smell lets us enjoy the scents and fragrances like roses or coffee. Taste and smell also protect us, letting us know when food has gone bad or when there is a gas leak. They make us want to
Many people who chew tobacco or dip snuff think it’s safer than smoking. But you don’t have to smoke tobacco for it to be dangerous. Chewing or dipping carries risks like:
Cancer of the mouth
Decay of exposed tooth roots
Pulling away of the gums from the teeth
White patches or red sores in the mouth that can turn
Snoring is the sound you make when your breathing is blocked while you are asleep. The sound is caused by tissues at the top of your airway that strike each other and vibrate. Snoring is common, especially among older people and people who are overweight.
When severe, snoring can cause frequent awakenings at night and
Your salivary glands make saliva – sometimes called spit – and empty it into your mouth through openings called ducts. Saliva makes your food moist, which helps you chew and swallow. It helps you digest your food. It also cleans your mouth and contains antibodies that can kill germs.
Salivary gland cancer is a type of
Oral cancer can form in any part of the mouth. Most oral cancers begin in the flat cells that cover the surfaces of your mouth, tongue, and lips. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, use tobacco, drink lots of alcohol, have HPV, or have a history of
Your mouth is one of the most important parts of your body. It has many different functions. It allows you to:
Take in food and drink
Breathe in air
Start digestion, with your teeth chewing the food you eat and your salivary glands releasing saliva to help break down the food
Speak and sing
Show emotion, by smiling or pouting
Any
Head and neck cancer includes cancers of the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat, and lymph nodes in the neck. Most begin in the moist tissues that line the mouth, nose, and throat. Symptoms include:
A lump or sore that does not heal
A sore throat that does not go away
Trouble swallowing
A change or hoarseness in the
Cold sores are caused by a contagious virus called herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of HSV. Type 1 usually causes oral herpes, or cold sores. Type 1 herpes virus infects more than half of the U.S. population by the time they reach their 20s. Type 2 usually affects the genital area.
Some people
Healthy teeth are important to your child’s overall health. From the time your child is born, there are things you can do to promote healthy teeth and prevent cavities. For babies, you should clean teeth with a soft, clean cloth or baby’s toothbrush. Avoid putting the baby to bed with a bottle and check