Perhaps surprisingly, given that smoking amongst the general population is decreasing, oral cancers are on the rise and this is forecast to continue for some time.<\/p>\n
One possible cause for this is the increasing incidence of the HPV virus which is contracted through oral sex and is more likely to be present in those who are sexually active with a number of partners.<\/p>\n
Even if you do not smoke and do not fall into the above category, this does not mean that you are guaranteed to avoid mouth cancer. Like all cancers, whilst there are some factors which greatly increase your risks, such as smoking, cancers can be triggered by other factors too.<\/p>\n
At The Dental Centre Bedford<\/a>, we not only examine your teeth and gums during your regular check ups, but also check the soft tissues of your mouth for any potential signs of this disease.<\/p>\n None of these symptoms, on their own, means that you necessarily have oral cancer, but if we detect anything that may be of concern, we may recommend that you have it checked by your GP. There is every chance that something more innocent may be the cause, but given that early detection is very important for successful treatment, it is clearly better to be safe than sorry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mouth ulcers<\/strong> – Whilst these are relatively common, if your ulcer does not heal within a few weeks, you should arrange an appointment at our Bedford practice to have it checked.<\/p>\n Persistent lumps<\/strong> – If you have a lump in your mouth that does not soon go of its own accord, have this checked by one of our dentists.<\/p>\n Loose teeth<\/strong> – Whilst gum disease is a leading cause of loose teeth, it can also be a possible sign of oral cancer.<\/p>\n Red or white patches<\/strong> – These should not be present if your mouth is healthy, although temporary soreness, perhaps from the rough edge of a tooth could cause this. If in doubt, have it checked.<\/p>\n Numbness<\/strong> – If your oral soft tissues feel numb for any length of time, this should be checked.<\/p>\n Lisping<\/strong> – If you find that your speech starts to alter, with a lisp being relatively common , once again, let one of our Bedford dental team take a look, to be on the safe side.<\/p>\n Aside from stopping smoking and perhaps cutting down on your alcohol consumption, taking good care of your oral health will help to reduce the risk of this growing problem. Regular dental checks and hygienist cleaning<\/a> will help to contribute to a healthy oral cavity and a reduction in the risk of oral cancers.<\/p>\n To arrange your appointment, please call The Dental Centre Bedford on 01234 819868<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mouth cancer is increasing – stay vigilant. Perhaps surprisingly, given that smoking amongst the general population is decreasing, oral cancers are on the rise and this is forecast to continue for some time. One possible cause for this is the …<\/p>\nPotential symptoms include:<\/h3>\n