ORAL CANCERS IN CHILDREN

Oral health and general health have a synergistic and dynamic relationship where maintenance of good oral health is critical for sustenance of general health and vice versa. As a gateway to the body, mouth is constantly challenged by various invading microorganisms, acting like an early warning system. Among various diseases affecting the oral cavity, cancer is one of the most debilitating conditions. Most of the cases of oral cancer occur in the fifth decade of life with an increasing incidence in early age groups over the past few years.This has been mainly attributed to a change in lifestyle, food habits and genetic as well as environmental influences. Considering the types of oral tumors seen in the paediatric age group, benign and malignant lesions occurring in children are often different from those in adults. The most effective strategy to reduce the burden of oral cancers in children must focus on creating awareness about the disease as a whole. Comprehensive programmes focusing on generating awareness regarding the risk factors, initial presentation and prompt access to healthcare facilities should be the ultimate goal. Palliative care needs special emphasis.