Learning that you have cancer at any time is a shock in itself and coming to terms with that is hard enough. But the biggest challenge is just around the corner and that’s fighting it. Oral cancer is on the increase in central London, just why, no-one can be sure about, but it has been linked with lifestyle. The city is a stressful place to work, people get run down quickly and the immune system can take a battering, this is where the biggest danger lies: hit the body as well with fast food and fast living and it is a recipe for disaster. Smoking and excessive drinking have also been linked to the disease. But there is one hell of a light at the end of this very gloomy tunnel. The amount of people that are overcoming the hell of oral cancer is on the increase, because the disease is being caught and diagnosed early on, which hopefully means that as individuals, we are learning to look out for the symptoms and getting ourselves checked out more. You should know if something is going wrong in your mouth: constant ulcers, trouble swallowing, constant jaw ache, foul breath- these are a dead give away that something is awry, but for peace of mind, a dentist can help you out and also run a series of tests to check your fears, and if the news is bad, they will set you up for treatment immediately so that you have the greatest chance of beating the illness. There are also some amazing back-up support groups in the system as well, because even after beating the disease, the getting over the whole trauma of the experience can also be a fight in itself too.

Some diseases can be cured, some can be lived with, but there’s one that constantly has a psychological affect on people like no other- cancer. Even by today’s standards, even though it’s become more treatable and in some cases curable, it won’t go away; still it seems to re-invent itself and has the same devastating affect on anyone who is diagnosed with it. Yes, it’s difficult to treat, and though new techniques and understanding of the disease are getting better the way of treating it, treatment seems to be at a crossroads. The only recognised way is still through chemo, radio or biological surgery- even physical surgery, but other ways of battling the disease have progressed immensely, especially in oral cancer. Awareness of the disease has helped to avoid it in the first place- everything in moderation, is key to avoiding most illnesses; diet, stopping smoking and excesses can help to avoid oral cancer. Catching it quickly is another way. Regular check-ups with your dentist, is your chance to discuss everything oral, and if you feel you have any problems in the mouth, any at all, your dentist will run a series of tests to check out your fears. But the real victories over cancer have been psychological ones as well. If your prepared to go all-out to beat the disease and turn your life upside down, you have more of a chance of winning.

Oral cancer is a nasty affliction which can lead to invasive and painful treatment and, in some cases, death. It is vital that you get to know the signs of oral cancer and allow your dentist to examine your mouth so that he or she can spot them and offer you appropriate diagnosis and the disease can be treated.

If you smoke tobacco or regularly drink alcohol to excess then you are at greater risk of contracting oral cancer. The disease is also more likely to affect men than women, but those outside of these higher risk groupings should be wary of the condition too. The signs of oral cancer can include painful swellings in the mouth or hardened patches which are discoloured and red or rusty, not the healthy pink that most of the inside of your mouth ought to be. You may also find that you are experiencing metallic tastes in your mouth or sudden weightloss.

You can of course examine your mouth at home for these signs, especially when you are brushing. You can look at your mouth in the mirror and feel with your finger for the aforementioned hardened patches. But the best person to examine your mouth is of course your Central London dentist. They are trained to spot all the signs of oral cancer. By catching the disease early you are far more likely to find that it is treatable. The alternative is going through invasive surgery and possible general ill health.

Oral cancer is just another reason why you should get into the habit of visiting your dentist every six months so that your mouth can be looked at thoroughly by a trained professional. It is always better to prevent than to cure.

In central London, as anywhere, it’s a horrible moment when you are diagnosed with cancer. The shock itself can take a long time to get to grips with, let alone the journey you about to embark on with treatments. Oral cancer generally starts in the lower mouth and tongue and if allowed to develop into the neck, head and eventually into the body. The causes are not easy to identify either, as each of us have different constitutions and levels of immunity, but some things promote the disease more than others. Poor oral hygiene, diet, smoking and excessive drinking are the obvious players in oral cancer, but so is exposure of the lips to sunlight, stress and a poor immune system. The obvious signs of cancer are ulcers that won’t go away, neck, jaw and earaches, bad breath, loose teeth and swallowing pains. These problems should be shared with your dentist who will then conduct a series of tests such as tissue and blood diagnosis. If the tests reveal any signs of cancer, then it’s down to the level the disease has reached that determines the treatment. It’s at this point, that you may like to get actively involved with the processes that follow. It’s important to understand the exact nature of your treatment- it can range from physical surgery to chemotherapy, but the type of treatment you have greatly influences the choice post surgery care you require. Modern treatments are becoming ever more successful in dealing with oral cancer, if it is diagnosed earlier enough.

It’s a very grey area as to what exactly causes cancer, except with the mouth, where some of the causes are far more obvious. But being diagnosed with the problem can be shocking. In the modern, fast moving world in the city of London, things that are bad for you are easy to find. Smoking, excessive drinking and cheap foodstuffs all get loaded into the mouth. They affect our diet and weaken the immune system and can cause all manner of problems in the mouth that can lead to oral cancer; combined with poor oral hygiene and infrequent visits to the dentist- you are putting yourself at high risk. What’s worse, if you don’t go to the dentists regularly and aren’t aware of the symptoms, it’s a good chance you won’t even know you have a problem until it’s too late and as we all know, cancer is a lot more easy to treat in the early stages. There are many symptoms to look out for; constant dry patches in the mouth, sore and ulcers that refuse to disappear, loose teeth, recurring earaches, swallowing pains and halitosis- this is the time to get to the dentist for an examination and a tissue diagnosis. If there are signs of cancer, further tests will be required to analyse the extent of the problem. Treatment, again, relies on how far down the line the disease is. It may take chemo, radio or biological surgery- even physical surgery to remove all the cancerous cells. But the treatment and understanding of cancer has advanced tremendously and success rates have soared in beating this problem.

Oral cancer is one of the nastiest conditions that can affect your mouth. This extremely serious disease has a fairly high survival rate but treatment can only be effective if it is diagnosed early. By looking out for patches on the soft tissue of your mouth that are red and white and do not fade, your dentist can play a vital part in being vigilant for the early signs of oral cancer.

The groups that are at the highest risk of contracting oral cancer are men – twice as likely as women – and those who smoke tobacco and drink alcohol. But it is worth remembering that about a quarter of all patients are not from these higher risk categories. Even if you are a woman who doesn’t smoke or drink you too should be on the look out for the early signals of oral cancer and keep up your routine of visiting your dentist every six months so your mouth can be checked by a professional.

Your dentist will be looking out for rusty coloured spots or small swellings on the inside of the mouth which can mean the very early stages of oral cancer. You ought to inform your dentist if, without any apparent cause, your mouth begins to bleed or you suddenly lose weight. If your mouth is especially sore while eating or drinking, this too is worth reporting to your dentist as it too could be an early sign of the disease.

Be sure to carry on visiting your dentist every six months and keep up a healthy, balanced diet while avoiding tobacco excess alcohol. These lifestyle habits can lessen your chances of contracting oral cancer which can be extremely painful and inconvenient to say the least.

The reported cases of mouth cancer in Britain are on the increase, a fact echoed by a London dentist. But like any cancers, they are easier to tackle if caught in their early stages and treatments for the problem have advanced tremendously over the past twenty years. With any problem that arises in the mouth, it highlights the importance of regular dental visits and the need for self awareness of the symptoms. In it’s infancy, oral cancer can be difficult to spot but there are several ways of detecting a problem; ulcers that don’t seem to heal, an ongoing sore throat, lumps and patches in the mouth, constant swelling in the neck or jaw, difficulty of swallowing or chewing, earaches and nasal problems. If any of these problems persist, an immediate visit to the dentist is recommended. But there are ways to avoid the problem before it get to this stage and a consultation with a dentist will help you to prevent these problems from developing. Good oral hygiene is always a must as is maintaining a good diet. Avoiding smoking and heavy drinking is also high on the agenda. And should the worst case scenario manifest itself, modern treatments and techniques are at hand to give you the best chance of beating the disease.

As well as visiting your City of London dentist every six months for a dental check up, it is important that you know the best methods of looking after your teeth at home and the most effective oral hygiene methods.

Check ups with City of London dentists are very important. They can spot the first signs of infection and decay and carry out any treatment that you may need. This will help to protect the teeth, but they can also look out for the first signs and symptoms of some of the more unpleasant oral conditions such as cancer.

However, you can’t see your dentist every day, so a large part of effective oral hygiene is up to you and how you look after your teeth at home. This involves correctly brushing and flossing your teeth, as well as using any other oral hygiene methods that your dentist recommends for your teeth. This could be using mouthwash, tongue scrapers or even more specialist tools like inter-dental brushes.

Knowing the correct technique is also very important. For brushing this involves using the right kind of brush and angling the head in such a way that the teeth are cleaned effectively. Your City of London dentist will be able to demonstrate how to properly clean your teeth and also recommend which brush will be most suitable for you.

Following these instructions will help to keep the teeth free from bacteria and plaque and make sure that the tooth enamel is kept clean and free form any food debris that may be trapped there. Flossing is especially useful for this, as it can reach areas that normal toothbrushes can’t quite get to. Your City of London dentist will also be able to advise you about flossing at your next check up.

When it comes to cancer we all have to be extremely vigilant, checking the various parts of the body that are at high risk. With oral cancer, a particularly virulent form of the disease, it is very important that you have your mouth examined by a dentist every six months. This can be done at the same time as your dental check up and your London dentist will be especially trained to spot the signs of oral cancer.

There are several key risk areas meaning that people are more likely to suffer from oral cancer. Males are more likely to suffer from the condition than females, especially males who are over the age of forty. Smoking and drinking alcohol also increase the chances of developing cancer, especially when used in tandem. However, it must be pointed out that 25 per cent of sufferers are in none of the high-risk areas so it is always wise to have your mouth checked.

The symptoms of oral cancer include small sore patches in the mouth. These usually appear on the soft tissue lining of the mouth and can be red or white in colour. These small patches do not clear up naturally so if you have any suspicious marks then you need to contact a dentist immediately.

Other symptoms include unexplained weight loss or bleeding in the mouth or pain in the head or jaw. Oral cancer can be treated effectively in 80 per cent of cases if the disease is caught in sufficient time. If left or not treated quickly, oral cancer can be extremely dangerous and almost certainly fatal. With cancer being one of the biggest killers in the UK, it is always wise to give yourself the best chance of beating it.

Bleeding gums can occur for a number of reasons but for whatever reason it occurs it is never a pleasant experience and can even be quite frightening. The reasons for bleeding gums can range from the relatively innocuous to the very serious. The rule of thumb is that if your gums are bleeding you make an appointment with your London dentist to check it out.

The most common reason for bleeding gums and the most likely is thankfully the most harmless. It occurs when you have not been cleaning your teeth effectively and plaque and bacteria build up around their base. Then if you begin to make an extra effort to clean the teeth or begin to floss, the gums are a little sensitive and may bleed slightly. This will usually stop after day or so as they become used to the new cleaning regime. However, it is still worth seeing your dentist to be on the safe side.

Another reason for bleeding gums is the result of gum disease. This is when the gums develop an infection due to insufficient cleaning. Gum disease affects nearly three quarters of all adults at some stage in their life and is very easily treated if caught in time.

The most serious cause of bleeding gums is as the result of oral cancer, which is treatable at the early stage but will be fatal if not treated. It is for this reason that it is so important to have your bleeding gums seen to in case it is the sign of a serious illness. In most cases it will not be the result of oral cancer but you can never be too careful when it comes to the health of your teeth.