It’s true, and is all part of the preventative dental care offered at Parrock Dental and Implant Centre. Although we have a huge range of innovative treatments and can give you a complete smile makeover and even reduce your wrinkles through the use of Botox in Kent, general dentistry is still at the heart of our practice. An important part of this is making sure patients attend regular check-ups with Dr Rik Trivedi or another of our dentists, and one aspect of this check-up involves a screening for mouth cancer.
Mouth or oral cancer is thankfully quite rare, but one of the problems is that it is frequently diagnosed too late, making treatment more invasive and less successful. The latest statistics show that in 2010, 6,539 people were diagnosed with some form of oral cancer, and that 1,985 people died that year from this disease. Your dentist is trained to be able to examine all your oral tissues, and can detect any early signs of this disease when treatment is much more successful. It’s highly unlikely that anything will be wrong, but this is one check that could save your life.
Research has shown that men are twice as likely as women to develop oral cancer, and that those aged over 50 are most at risk. There are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing this disease and these include smoking and excess alcohol consumption. You may also be more at risk if you have a family history of cancer. There are various symptoms that can indicate that something might be wrong and which are worth looking out. These include:
- Noticing certain areas in your mouth have become swollen or thicker, or that you have developed lumps and bumps
- The tissues in your mouth may look white or red, and these patches can be velvety in appearance
- You may experience unexplained bleeding, or you might notice certain areas of your face or mouth, or even your neck are painful or feel numb
- Any sore patches that fail to heal within a couple of weeks
- Noticing you have difficulty swallowing or feeling as if something is caught at the back of your throat
- Your teeth might begin to meet together slightly differently, or if you wear dentures you might notice they fit less well
If you haven’t visited the dentist for a while, and would like a check-up, then give a call to our dentist in Kent on 01474 537191 to book an appointment. Alternatively you can e-mail us on info@parrockdental.co.uk with any questions you might have, or to schedule a visit with the dentist.