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How a dental check-up could save your life

Mar
7

check-up

Oral cancer kills thousands of people every year often because the symptoms aren’t obvious until it’s too late. A simple check from your dentist is still the first line of defence in the early detection and monitoring of oral cancers.

Early detection, diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer has been shown to significantly increase the survival rate of those with the disease. In most cases however, diagnosis does not occur until the cancer is advanced.

What to look for – Oral cancer signs

  • Any sore in the mouth, or on the face and neck that does not heal in two weeks.
  • Swellings, lumps or bumps on the lips, or anywhere inside the mouth.
  • White, red or dark patches in the mouth.
  • Repeated bleeding in the mouth.
  • Numbness, loss of feeling or pain in any area of the mouth, face or neck.

Risk factors that have been identified with oral cancer include:

Smoking
Excessive alcohol consumption
Sunlight
Viral infections – including the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
Advancing age
Poor diet
Genetic predisposition

Encouragingly, Australian researchers are trialing a simple blood test to detect oral cancer early, before physical symptoms even develop.

However, it may be some years until that test becomes available to the public, so a regular check-up with your friendly dentist is still the best way to detect, monitor and treat oral cancer.

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