29 June 2017
Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, is diagnosed on average every 77 minutes in the United Kingdom – that’s about 18 people a day. It can affect anyone, any age, and any person with or without teeth. Unfortunately, cancer can affect any part of the body and this includes the throat, the tongue, the insides of the cheeks, the roof of your mouth, and more. Not caring for or failing to visit your dentist regularly can have adverse effects to your health, especially ones that could have been avoided…
Oral Cancer Can affect anyone, anytime.
Why you should love the dentist…
Many people have fears and phobias of the dentist, but remember a dentist’s job is ironically to make you smile! Dentistry isn’t what is used to be, and modern dentistry has revolutionised dental health care in many different ways. This includes patient autonomy, awareness and management of patient fears, pain management – meaning pain-free procedures, additional services such as sedation therapy and more!
What many people do not know is that your oral health can be a window to your overall health and one usually or always affects the other. When you go for a dental health checkup, your dentist is not just checking the health of your teeth, your dentist is also checking the overall health of your mouth including signs of oral cancer. This is why it is so important to visit your dentist – and regularly.
Want more reasons to visit the dentist? Why you should see your dentist every 6 months…
The facts
On average 6,800 people are diagnosed with oral cancer each year in the United Kingdom. Oral cancer kills around 2,000 people each year, which is, more deaths than those diagnosed with cervical cancer or melanoma cancer. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if the cancer was caught early enough.
Symptoms of Oral Cancer:
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below it would be advisable to book an appointment with a dental healthcare professional.
||| Any sores or ulcers in the mouth, which are not healing.
||| White or red patches on the tongue, tonsils, cheeks or lining of the mouth.
||| Reoccurring and unexplained lumps in the neck.
||| Lumps in the mouth.
||| Numbness in the lips and or tongue.
||| Teeth becoming loose.
Treatment
Oral cancer is very treatable if caught early enough. Depending on where the cancer is and how it is developing, the types of treatment are radiation therapy, chemotherapy, minor surgery, or a combination of these treatments.
Prevention
There are lots of things that you can do to reduce your risk of oral cancer. Excessive drinking, as well as smoking, can increase your risk. Therefore finding help to quit and not drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week can help prevent or lessen your chances of this type of cancer. Maintaining good oral health and regular dental health check-ups can also help prevent as well as manage cases of oral cancer through early diagnosis.
Want a Dental Health Checkup?
The Brighton Implant Clinic is a group of leading dental health clinics, based in Brighton, Hove, Worthing, and Hailsham. Renowned for their achievements in cosmetic dentistry and dental implant treatment. Founder Dr Silva and his award-winning team, promise their patients first-class dentistry with first class care. Be that in routine procedures or complex cases in implantology.