Oral cancer is a particularly virulent form of cancer that if not caught early can be fatal. Patients who catch the disease early stand an 80 per cent chance or greater of making a full recovery so it is vital that if you are suffering from any suspicious sores in the mouth you contact a dentist as soon as possible. It is also important that you keep up regular six-month appointments with your dentist as they are trained to spot the early signs of oral cancer.
Oral cancer usually appears as sores on the inside lining of the mouth. These sores resemble mouth ulcers but they don’t disappear after two weeks or less. Oral cancers include all cancers that occur in the oral cavity, including cancer of the tongue, throat and lips.
There are certain risk factors that make people more likely to develop oral cancer. Being a man makes you twice as likely to develop oral cancer as a woman. Patients who drink or smoke excessively are also at high risk of developing the disease, with smokers in particular being 600 times more likely to suffer from oral cancer. However, it is important to remember that even the most abstemious of people, who neither smoke nor drink alcohol, are still at risk from oral cancer.
The sores are usually white or red patches that are sore to the touch and very sensitive to hot or cold food and drink. These sores can be very painful and make it very difficult to carry out every day activities. Another tell tale sign of oral cancer is unexplained bleeding of the mouth lining or gums. Another signal that you may be suffering form oral cancer is a sudden and unexplained weight loss.
There are more symptoms and they can vary with each individual patient, so it is important to visit a dentist if you are experiencing any unusual pain in the oral cavity. Dentists will be able to take a painless brush biopsy to determine if there are any cancerous cells in the mouth. Dentists are also well trained in spotting the symptoms of all forms of oral cancer. Early detection by a Leeds dentist could save your life so if you suspect oral cancer, make an appointment with a Leeds dentist as soon as possible.
Tags: BLEEDING GUMS, oral cancer, oral cavity
