FREE CONSULTATION 0113 245 4868 Ask us about 0% Finance
Book Online

Posts Tagged ‘HPV’

Take A Simple Mouth Cancer Screening Before It’s Too Late

Monday, October 20th, 2014

4070440_blogMouth cancer is a disease, which affects more than 6,000 people every year in the UK and at City Dental Leeds, we are on a mission to protect our patients. We offer mouth cancer screening to detect early warning signs and maximise the chances of successful treatment and we are also on hand to discuss causes and risk factors with patients.

About mouth cancer

Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer, affects the soft tissue in the mouth and throat. The most influential risk factors for oral cancer include smoking, drinking alcohol and exposure to the HPV infection, which is transmitted through sexual contact. A poor diet can also increase the risk of mouth cancer.

The most common symptoms of mouth cancer to look out for include red or white patches in the mouth, slow-healing ulcers or sores and any abnormal lumps in the mouth or throat. Other symptoms may include a persistent sore throat and difficulty swallowing.

The importance of screening

Screening for mouth cancer is so important because as with most forms of cancer, is can progress very quickly and the chances of survival are much higher when the disease is diagnosed at an early stage. It s estimated that early treatment increases the chances of survival by up to 90 per cent. Screening allows our dentists to identify potential warning signs before they become visible to the naked eye and this can make the difference between life and death.

Screening isn’t painful and it takes just a few minutes; come and see us today; it could save your life!

Don’t Take It For Granted. Get Checked For Oral Cancer Quickly

Thursday, August 28th, 2014

863081_blogLike many forms of cancer, oral cancer can progress very quickly and we actively promote screening and regular dental checks to ensure that cases are diagnosed at the earliest possible stage. With early diagnosis, the chances of survival are much higher.

About oral cancer

Oral cancer is a form of cancer, which is found in the soft tissue in the mouth and throat. Research shows that this form of cancer is becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK, with an increase of almost 50% in the last decade alone. Projections also predict that this trend will continue. More than 6,000 new cases were diagnosed last year.

The major risk factors for oral cancer include drinking alcohol on a regular basis, smoking and HPV (human papilloma virus) infection. If you have more than one risk factor, you are more likely to develop oral cancer. Smokers who also drink, for example, are up to 30 times more likely to get oral cancer than non-smokers who drink infrequently.

Oral cancer detection

Sadly, at the moment, most cases of oral cancer are diagnosed when the disease has already progressed and survival rates have stalled. With early diagnosis, we can help to improve survival rates, as there is a much lower risk of cancer spreading when the disease at spotted at a very early stage.

The main symptoms to look for include slow-healing ulcers, red/white patches in the mouth and swelling in the throat, which may make it difficult to swallow. Some patients also have a persistent sore throat.

Screening

We promote oral cancer screening, which helps us to detect changes in the oral tissue before they become visible to the naked eye and we also check for potential warning signs during routine check-ups.

Get Checked-up In Leeds! Mouth Cancer Can Be Beaten Early

Tuesday, July 15th, 2014

2487210_blogWhen it comes to mouth cancer the earlier the diagnosis the better. This is why we actively encourage our patients to attend regular check-ups and take advantage of oral cancer screening. Studies suggest that early diagnosis can increase the chance of surviving mouth cancer by up to 90 per cent.

The latest statistics show that more than 6,000 people in the UK were diagnosed with mouth cancer last year and although there have been major improvements in survival rates for many other forms of cancer, this is sadly not the case with mouth cancer because most cases are diagnosed when the cancer is advanced. A lack of awareness prevents many people from seeing their dentist or doctor when they have symptoms and often, the disease is picked up during tests for other illnesses. We aim to educate our patients about the symptoms and causes of mouth cancer to increase the chances of early diagnosis.

What causes mouth cancer?

Cancer is caused by abnormal cell growth and in many cases it is impossible to determine an exact cause. The main risks associated with oral cancer include drinking alcohol and smoking on a regular basis and HPV infection; HPV stands for human papilloma virus. This virus is spread through sexual contact and it is also linked to cervical cancer.

Warning signs to watch out for

The most common symptoms of mouth cancer include abnormal swelling in the mouth or throat, white or red patches in the mouth and ulcers or sores, which take a long time to heal (more than 2 weeks). Other signs may include a persistent cough.

Come For A Mouth Cancer Screening Before It’s Too Late

Saturday, June 28th, 2014

2487210_blogMouth cancer is affecting more and more people in the UK, with an increase of almost 50 per cent in the number of cases within the last decade. One of the most important messages we are trying to spread is the importance of early diagnosis. Treating mouth cancer early increases the chance of survival by up to 90 per cent and this is why we promote screening and encourage all our patients to see their dentist every 6 months for a check-up.

About mouth cancer

Mouth cancer is a form of cancer, which affects the cells in the soft tissue in the mouth. The main risk factors for oral cancer include drinking alcohol, smoking and HPV infection (HPV stands for human papilloma virus) and symptoms include red or white patches in the mouth, abnormal swelling and lumps and mouth ulcers, which take a long time to heal.

Benefits of screening

Many people are unaware of the warning signs of mouth cancer and for this reason, a lot of cases are diagnosed at a late stage when there is a lower chance of successful treatment. Screening enables us to spot changes in the soft tissue, which may indicate the early stages of mouth cancer, before they become visible to the naked eye and this means that we can facilitate diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible. Early diagnosis can make a real difference to the prognosis. In addition to screening, we also carry out checks for symptoms of oral cancer during routine check-ups.

What happens during a screening test?

Mouth cancer screening is quick and painless and you don’t have to have any preparation or worry about recovery afterwards. The test takes just a few minutes and your dentist will use the latest technology to have an in-depth look at the soft tissue in your mouth; abnormal tissue will be flagged up and this can then be investigated further.