One of the worst conditions that can affect your mouth is oral cancer. This extremely serious affliction has quite a high survival rate but it must be diagnosed early to allow treatment to be effective. Trained to look out for the early signs of oral cancer, your dentist can play a vital part in diagnosing oral cancer by being vigilant for white or red patches on the soft tissue of your mouth which don’t naturally fade.

British males are twice as likely to contract oral cancer as women. If you smoke tobacco and drink alcohol your chances of developing the disease increase too but about twenty five per cent of oral cancer patients are either women or non-smokers or those who drink very little. Even if you are not in high risk category, you must be vigilant about oral cancer.

The first signs of oral cancer might be rusty spots or small swellings on the inside of your mouth. If you experience oral bleeding without any apparent cause or sudden weightloss, you should inform your Harlow dentist so he or she can examine you further. This applies if you are suffering from a sore mouth which causes you difficulties when eating and drinking.

If you keep a balanced, healthy diet and avoid consuming tobacco and too much alcohol, you are doing much in the fight against oral cancer and you can even examine yourself at home, visually and manually. But visiting your dentist every six months is most important of all as they are trained to spot the early signs of oral cancer and might prevent you from having to undergo painful surgery. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.