August 2nd, 2010
Looking after the health of your teeth is fundamental to avoiding dental problems occurring in the future. When it comes to the health of your teeth it really is prevention that plays the biggest part in keeping them healthy. As well as brushing and flossing as part of a complete and thorough home dental hygiene routine, it is also very important that you keep up regular six-month dental appointments with your dentist.
West London dentists recommend six-moths as the maximum time you should go without having a check up. In some cases it will need to be shorter but your dentist will keep you fully informed. Six-months is the maximum time because this will give you the best chance of avoiding any dental problems that can arise. Even if you start to succumb to dental decay or gum disease, as long as you visit a dentist within six-months it will usually be enough time to catch the problem before it gets too serious. Treating decay and disease at their earliest stages will give you the best chance of beating the condition and avoiding the need for more serious, costly and painful dental treatment. It will also help to keep your teeth in the best condition possible.
There is also a more serious reason why check ups are important. With one in three adults in the UK suffering from cancer at some point it is crucial we do all we can to be aware of the disease. Oral cancer is a very nasty form of cancer that occurs on the soft tissue of the mouth. A dentist will carry out a thorough check for cancer as part of a routine check up which could just save your life.
July 16th, 2010
Everybody knows the statistic that cancer now affects one in three people in the UK at some point during their lives. This is a very large number for such a dangerous disease so we need to be doing all we can to beat cancer and give ourselves the best chance of living a long and healthy life.
One of the most virulent forms of the disease is oral cancer that affects the lips, tongue, gums and soft tissue of the mouth. Oral cancer, if not treated early enough is fatal in all cases. However, if you catch the condition in time to treat it, you stand a greater than 80 per cent chance of successful treatment.
The most effective way of catching oral cancer is to have your mouth regularly examined by a dentist. Dentists are trained to examine for oral cancer as part of a routine check up procedure. Any suspicious looking patches can be examined and tested using a brush biopsy. If the results come back positive, your Central London dentist will be able to refer you for treatment as soon as possible.
Oral cancer manifests itself as small red or white patches on the soft tissue in the mouth. These will be very painful and sensitive to hot and cold and will not disappear naturally after a couple of weeks unlike mouth ulcers. Other symptoms of oral cancer include an unexplained weight loss, bleeding in the mouth (usually from the gums) and a pain in the head or neck. Stopping oral cancer really is simple, as long as you give yourself the bet possible chance. If it has been longer than six months since your last appointment, make the call today. It could just save your life.