Help me keep my mouth healthy » Mouth Cancer Screening
Our Leicester dentists are shocked at the rise in mouth cancer cases in recent years. Early diagnosis transforms our chances of beating the disease from 50 per cent to 90 per cent so it is crucial that we all know what to look out for. Mouth cancer can strike in the lips, tongue, gums and cheek.
Three signs and symptoms not to ignore are:
* Ulcers that do not heal in three weeks.
* Red and white patches in the mouth.
* Unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth or head and neck area.
Visit your Leicester dentist
Visiting our Leicester dental practice is essential for your teeth and gum health but it is important to also monitor the state of your mouth at home. It can be very easy to overlook problems related to mouth cancer between visits and for the disease to develop rapidly.
It only takes a few seconds every day to have a good look in your mouth to see if there is anything out of the ordinary. If you have any of the warning signs of mouth cancer it is vitally important that you visit us or your GP straightaway - it could save your life.
Mouth cancer screening in Leicester
More than 2,000 people lose their life to mouth cancer in the UK every year and we would like to help bring that number down. As part of our 10-point dental health check, all new patients to Smile Essential will receive a thorough mouth cancer screening for their peace of mind. Our existing patients are screened at every visit, which is why we recommend that you come to see us at least annually, ideally every six months.
If in doubt – get checked out. The door to our Narborough Road dental practice is always open to new patients and we look forward to meeting you soon.
Those at most risk of developing mouth cancer
The danger group are those who smoke and drink alcohol to excess. These people increase their risk of mouth cancer by up to 30 times. If you smoke and drink, please be aware of this risk. It is especially important that you visit us regularly so we can examine your mouth.
By learning more about mouth cancer, we can help lower our risk of developing the disease and we can also pass our knowledge on to those we love and care. By understanding more about how healthy lifestyle choices can increase our chances of staying cancer free, we can also improve the state of our oral health and general wellbeing.
Please contact us for more information.
