Oral cancer includes cancer of any part of the mouth or throat including the lips and tongue. It commonly occurs on the lining of the cheek, palate or gum tissue so it is very often a dentist that will spot the first signs of the disease. Dentists are fully trained to examine for all oral cancer during a routine check up appointment.

The first signs of oral cancer are usually small patches of sore or sensitive skin that don’t heal naturally. These are often pale coloured or white patches known as leukoplakia or darker, redder patches called erythroplakia, which may develop a burning sensation as the problem develops. They will also be very sensitive to hot and cold food and drink.

Some of the main causes for oral cancer are alcohol and tobacco. Strong links exist between alcohol consumption and the development of oral cancer, and smokers are over six times more likely to suffer from oral cancer. But it must be remembered that even people who neither drink nor smoke may still be affected, so it is always worth having any suspicious patches in the mouth examined.

Catching oral cancer early can help to improve the chances of surviving the disease by 80 per cent, so maintaining six-monthly appointments with a London dentist is crucial in the fight against the disease. If you have any sores in the mouth, unexplained bleeding of the gums or have experienced a sudden dramatic weight loss, make an appointment to see a London dentist to check for oral cancer.

Oral cancer can be fatal if not caught at a sufficiently early stage. If detected early enough, oral cancer patients stand a greater than 80 per cent chance of survival. Therefore it is very important that you have any suspicious sores examined as soon as possible. Another key defence against oral cancer is to keep up regular six-month dental appointments. Dentists are trained to spot the signs of oral cancer and are also able to perform swab biopsies on any suspicious areas as part of a check up.

Oral cancer is considered to be any cancer that affects any part of the mouth including the lips, tongue and throat. It usually appears as sores on the lining of the mouth or throat, not unlike mouth ulcers, but that do not disappear naturally after a period of two weeks.

Certain groups are at a higher risk than others with men being twice as likely to suffer from the condition as women. Patients who smoke excessively are a massive 600 times more likely to develop oral cancer as non-smokers. Patients who drink heavily are also at a greater risk of the condition. However, it is important to remember that oral cancer can affect anybody at any time regardless of lifestyle, so you can never be complacent.

The sores are usually a deep red or white colour and are sensitive to touch and especially hot and cold food. They are usually very painful and make it difficult to eat, drink or even speak. Oral cancer may also manifest itself in the unexplained bleeding of the gums or weight loss.

There are more symptoms than described here so it is always wise to visit a dentist if you are unsure about any activity in your mouth. Any unexplained soreness or patches in the mouth can easily be examined by a dentist and with cancer it is always better to be safe than sorry. Make an appointment every six-months with a Central London dentist and protect yourself from oral cancer.