Of all the ailments that can unfortunately befall your mouth, the one that you should be most vigilant about is oral cancer. It actually has quite high survival rates if caught early but is potentially fatal. You should make sure that you know the signs of oral cancer so that you can consult your dentist and deal with it before it gets worse.
The signs of oral cancer are rusty coloured and hard patches in the mouth. You might find that you are experiencing odd, metallic tastes in the mouth for no apparent reason and find that you experience sudden weight loss. If you experience any of these symptoms it is vital that you consult your dentist as soon as you can; don’t wait for your next six month check up, make an appointment.
The high risk groups are those who smoke tobacco in whichever form and those who consistently drink alcohol to excess. Oral cancer also has far higher rates of prevalence in men than women. If you are not in one of these groups you should still be vigilant however.
You can examine yourself at home in the mirror, perhaps after you have brushed your teeth. You can search your mouth for patches which feel harder than they ought to and are discoloured, taking on a rusty brown tone.
Getting into the habit of visiting your dentist every six months is the best way to guard against oral cancer. There may be signs that you simply wouldn’t spot by yourself and allowing a trained professional to examine your mouth regularly gives you a good chance of beating oral cancer should it occur. Talk to your City of Leeds dentist if you need more information.
Tags: oral cancer, regular check ups
