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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.