With about one-third of the population suffering from cancer at some point in their lives, asking your dentist to investigate any painful or unusual sensations or marks in your mouth can be a life-saving decision.
The disease can be treated effectively if caught in time, and underlines the importance of being extra vigilant about the way we react to and seek advice about strange or unusual signs on any part of the body.
While a regular appointment at the Hereford Dental Clinic is a wise move, you should hesitate to report any symptoms such as small red or white sores that are very painful and do not clear up naturally after a week or so. The sores are often very sensitive to hot and cold food and drink and may also be bleed. Other signs of oral cancer include bleeding in the mouth, unexplained weight loss and pain in the neck or head.
If you have any anxieties about anything in your mouth it’s really essential to have it checked out as soon as possible by a Hereford Clinic dentist. It may be nothing more than an annoying mouth ulcer, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry – and your dentist will be very pleased to take a look, as you stand a more than 80% chance of surviving the disease, but the odds decrease quickly the longer you leave it.
The other important thing to remember is that by keeping up regular appointments with your dentist they will be able to examine your mouth for any signs of the disease.
Although the actual cause has still to be determined, the lack of oral hygiene, smoking, chewing tobacco and drugs that are rubbed on gums are seen as a factors. Tumours can grow on the lips, inner mouth, gums and tongue, forming lumps, lesions and white spots.
The process is usually quite painless, although a burning sensation is felt in the latter stages, generally the result of a cut caused by brushing. Difficulty with swallowing, throat infections and swelling are often associated with Oral Cancer, while poor blood circulation caused by diabetes and other related blood disorders are among accepted causes. Excessive use of alcohol not only harms the liver and kidneys, it also contains enzymes long associated with cancer cell growth in all parts of the body.
Ask your Hereford dentist about how oral hygiene will greatly reduce the chances of Oral Cancer. Our dentists are helping in the battle to beat cancer, but you need to be vigilant and make sure you have your regular check ups.
LOOK OUT FOR SIGNS TO BEAT CANCER
EARLY DETECTION CAN GIVE 90% CHANCE OF MOUTH CANCER SURVIVAL
A major promotion aimed at increasing awareness of how early detection of mouth cancer can save lives was launched with an event at the Houses of Parliament hosted by the British Dental Health Foundation.
Leading experts backed a call for action at a time when in the UK mouth cancer kills one person every five hours, and less than half of those with the disease survive beyond five years after diagnosis.
Young people are particularly vulnerable, with recent studies showing that a lifestyle of drinking, smoking and unhealthy diets increase the chances of mouth and throat cancer, while increasing links between oral sex and the disease have also been discovered.
‘If in doubt, get checked out’ was the theme behind the Mouth Cancer Action Month of November, with the case of superstar Michael Douglas used to emphasise how early detection, supported with regular professional check-ups and self examination, can save lives.
If diagnosed within the early stages, survival chances for mouth cancer can improve to more than 90%.
Dental Health Foundation chief executive Nigel Carter told the London meeting: “Many people have not heard of mouth cancer, and do not realise how common it is. Latest figures show that over 5,500 cases are diagnosed in the UK in a year, and that men aged over 40 are twice as likely to develop the condition as women”.
Warning signs for mouth cancer include ulcers which do not heal within three weeks, and red or white patches, or unusual lumps or swellings, in the mouth.
Your private dentist hereford or hygienist at the Hereford Dental Clinic will always be happy to discuss with you the early warning signs and risk factors of mouth cancer, while explaining the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. It is better for your specialist to spot a symptom that proves to be negative, than to be faced with a difficult case that may have a poor prognosis.