Protect yourself from oral cancer with appointment at Surbiton dentist
Like all cancers, oral cancer is the uncontrollable growth of cells that cause damage to the surrounding tissue. Oral cancer visually manifests itself as growths or sores on the soft tissue of the mouth that do not go away naturally. All parts of the soft tissue including the lips, tongue, lining and throat are affected by oral cancer and it can be life threatening if not diagnosed early enough.
The most common symptoms of the disease are painful swellings and lumps or red and white velvety sore patches appearing on the soft tissue areas. Other symptoms include unexplained bleeding in the mouth, numbness or tenderness in any part of the face or neck and unexplained weight loss. These symptoms are the first indicators that you may be suffering from oral cancer so it is important that you make an appointment to see a dentist as soon as possible after discovering any of them.
Certain factors make the contraction of oral caner more likely including smoking or drinking excessively, but male patients, especially overweight ones are also more at risk. Although it is crucial to remember that one fifth of people diagnosed with oral cancer neither smoke nor drink or possess any other high-risk characteristics.
The most important weapon in the fight against oral cancer is regular check ups at the dentist. Surbiton dentists are trained to detect the early signs of oral cancer and can refer you immediately for specialist treatment. Catching the disease early can increase your chances of successful treatment by as much as eighty per cent, which is crucial with such a virulent form of the disease.