Category “Oral cancer”

Why We Think Oral Cancer Screenings Are So Important In The City Of London

March 9th, 2013

At Devonshire Square Dental Studio, we provide elective cancer screening for detection of oral cancer. Although those aged 60 and those who smoke are more at risk of developing oral cancer, any person may get the disease.

Studies reveal that oral cancer may be caused by human papilloma virus infection (HPV), smoking, excess alcohol consumption and a high-saturated fat (LDL) diet. If left undetected, mouth cancer tumours spread through the oral tissues and via the lymph nodes.

ViziLite Plus Diagnostics

We invest in ViziLite Plus to provide patients with oral cancer screening options. Oral cancer screening aims to identify non-healing mouth ulcers that may be cancer tumours. Other symptoms of oral cancer include patches of red and white on the tongue or in the mouth and persistent oral swelling.

ViziLite Plus is applied to the mouth and will show up any cancer tumours, even those so small that they are not visible to the naked eye. The screening is pain-free and works by contrasting healthy oral tissue as dark and any cancer tumours as white.

Importance of Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer screening is necessary to detect oral cancer in its early stages so that preventative treatment may be provided and lives may be saved. Treatments include oral surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Often the cancer is advanced and treatments may not be successful. Screening for oral cancer is important so that an individual receives the care they need for good health.

Any part of the mouth may be affected by cancer tumours, including the throat, tonsils and saliva glands. There are numerous cases of undetected oral cancer because people either do not know about oral cancer screening or avoid dental screening. For this reason, we encourage people to have cancer screening as part of their dental check-ups at Devonshire Square Dental Studio in the heart of London.

 

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Try ViziLite Plus For Your Next Oral Cancer Screening

January 8th, 2013

The C word is one of the few words that can still send shivers down everyone’s spine, and the disease is still one of the scariest out there. However despite us all knowing about it and knowing the precautions we can take to try and prevent it, it is still something that will impact on all our lives in one way or another.

Cancer can affect many parts of the body and the mouth is no different, so during dental appointments your dentist can look at your neck, head and the soft tissue within your oral cavity to see if there are any noticeable signs of cancer within the mouth.

Oral cancer signs and symptoms

However oral cancer is very difficult for a dentist to detect straight away, and 70 per cent of the time it cannot be seen until it has developed into quite an advanced stage of cancer. Like other diseases, specifically cancer, the earlier it is spotted the greater the outcome.

At Devonshire Square Dental Studio in the heart of London there is now a new technology in place to help detect any abnormalities of the tissues within the mouth, before it is even visible to the eye.

ViziLite Plus

ViziLite Plus is applied around the oral tissue of the mouth through a rinse application in order to detect any issues at the earliest time possible. Once it has been applied the healthy tissue within your mouth will attract the light and therefore appear dark, whereas any abnormal tissue within the mouth will look white.

If any abnormal tissues are detected within your mouth, your dentist will decide what steps should be taken next before consulting with you.

It is now a policy at Devonshire Square Dental Studio that an elective oral cancer screening is available at all patient check ups, for the safety of your health and peace of mind.

 

 

 

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How The Tongue Can Affect The Oral Health Of Patients In London

August 7th, 2012

The tongue is an important organ made up from many groups of muscles. We use it to talk, to taste, to swallow and to chew, it holds food in place and it sends vital messages to the central nervous system reporting on changes within the mouth. However, it does all of this instantly and without any thought from us and because of this its important role in maintaining oral health can often be overlooked and underestimated leading to not-so-pleasant consequences.

Looking after the health of your tongue

The tongue should be treated with the same amount of care and upkeep as you’d give your teeth and gums. Just as you would clean the rest of your mouth, the tongue too needs cleaning. This is because, contrary to how it may look, the tongue is not smooth and is in fact covered in tiny, barely visible bumps called ‘papillae.’ These bumps are bacteria hotspots and if not regularly cleaned, the bacteria that build there can cause halitosis, affect your sense of taste and can even spread to other parts of the mouth leading to a whole number of different infections which can lead to tooth decay, gum recession and even tooth loss.

Tongue cancer signs and symptoms

Unfortunately tongues are no less susceptible to developing cancer than other parts of the body and noticing the problem before it has advanced can be the difference between life and death. This is why it’s important to check the tongue regularly to see if there any irregular cuts, abrasions or swelling. I suggest sticking your tongue out in front of your bathroom mirror and swirling it around to get a good look from all sides, top, bottom and side to side. If you do notice anything out of the ordinary, consult your doctor immediately. For more advice on looking after your oral health contact us at Devonshire Square Dental studio in London.

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Patients from the City of London Can Expect Oral Cancer Screening as Part of Their Regular Check-Up

June 25th, 2012

The numbers of oral cancer cases has risen above 6,000 for the year 2011, so as part of your general dental-check up we also provide oral cancer screening for all of our patients.

What are the causes of oral cancer?

There have been numerous risk factors attributed to the development of oral cancer, including:

  • Smoking
  • Drinking
  • HPV virus

What are the symptoms of oral cancer?

The signs of oral cancer can vary from person to person and often depend on how far the disease has progressed; however symptoms to look out for include:

  • White and red patches in the mouth and on the tongue and lips.
  • Sores that take a great deal longer than normal to clear.
  • Pain in the mouth or neck.

If you have any of these symptoms and think you may be at risk of one of the factors listed above then make an appointment to visit your dentist right away.

Speeding up an oral cancer diagnosis at Devonshire Square Dental Studio

The early oral cancer is caught the easier it is to treat, however, some of the very earliest indications of oral cancer are naked to the human eye. To pinpoint these invisible areas, at Devonshire Square Dental we use the innovative VizLite Plus, which comes in the form of a liquid solution, to highlight the possible areas of oral cancer within your mouth. VizLite Plus darkens the healthy tissue found in the mouth and lightens the potentially cancerous areas.

Once possible instances of cancer have been found we can plan the next step and have you treated as soon as possible.

If you would like an oral cancer screening and form more information please call the practice, we treat patients from throughout the City of London and the UK so feel free to stop buy wherever you’re from.

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Don’t underestimate the importance of oral cancer screenings at City of London dentists

December 17th, 2011

A malignancy in the oral cavity is called oral cancer. As many as 35,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer every year and the mortality rate among oral cancer patients is 25%. Many of these deaths are a result of the cancer not being detected early enough for proper treatment. Oral cancer screening helps detect the malignancy, which allows the dentist to effectively treat the disease.

The survival rate among patients who have early cancer detection is 95%, but it is only 5% for those who were treated at a later stage. As the disease progresses the tumour spreads to the lymph nodes and then all over the body. Once the disease has spread throughout the body, the possibility of survival becomes very low.

During the screening the dentist examines the gums, teeth and cavities for Leukoplakia, which looks like a thick white patch on the mucous membranes in the mouth. The thick white patch is a premalignant lesion, which could become an invasive squamous cell carcinoma that causes nearly 95% of oral cavity cancer. Oral cancer screening must be a part of regular oral care. The following symptoms should be looked for during self-examination:

  • Open wounds that are not healing quickly.
  • Slightly raised or thick white patches on the mucous membranes.
  • Irritated and bleeding gums.
  • Tooth loss

The sighting of any of these symptoms must be immediately reported to the dentist or doctor for professional examination. People who are at a high risk of oral cancer are tobacco users, smokers and heavy drinkers. Oral cancer screening can be offered by the dentist as a preventive measure. Individuals that come under high risk for oral cancer must undergo regular oral cancer screening. The dentist will check if there is any history of neck or head cancer or other symptoms, like difficulty with swallowing, enlarged lymph nodes, chronic earaches and neck masses. It is good to discuss with a dentist about your risk of developing oral cancer and steps that could be taken to prevent it.

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The importance of attending oral cancer screenings at City of London Dentists

November 18th, 2011

When thinking about cancer many forget about the dangers of oral cancer and even more forget that your dentist should be the first stop to diagnosis the disease.

Oral cancer usually starts off in the mouth as a small spot or sore, which are commonly white or red and can be located in any part of the mouth. If untreated, these sores can affect any area of your mouth, including your gum tissues, tongue, palate, lips and lining of the cheeks. Oral cancer also occurs more regularly in people who smoke and if you combine this with the consumption of alcohol you greatly increase your risk of developing the disease. Signs of oral cancer may include: colour changes in your oral tissue, difficulty with chewing, speaking, swallowing or moving your jaw and tongue, sores in the mouth that easily bleed and do not heal, lumps or thickening rough spots, small eroded areas in the mouth and pain, tenderness or numbness on the lips and inside of the mouth.

By visiting your dentist more regularly you can significantly decrease your chances of suffering with oral cancer, as oral cancer screenings are part of your routine dental examination. It is therefore important that you have regular full mouth check-ups, so your dentist can detect the early stage of cancer and treat it.  Some spots or sores located in the mouth may not be cancer, but it is always best to check just in case and your dentist will perform a brush test to ensure the sore or spot is not dangerous. If anything is found to be wrong with the sore then it will be removed in a separate procedure, but it is important to know that positive results from the brush test will be confirmed first by incisional biopsy and histology.

Remember it is important to visit your dentist for an oral cancer check-up, as on average only half of those diagnosed with oral cancer will survive past five years. However, oral cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer if found at an early stage.

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Oral health is a must no matter how old you are

May 23rd, 2011

As a senior citizen you have every right to receive an impeccable standard of professional dental healthcare. After all, your mouth and teeth are a prized possession. They have served you during years of eating, drinking and celebrating, helped you speak and sculpt the smile and personality everybody knows and loves you for. They deserve your time and attention.

According to a survey carried out by Help the Aged, more than a third of over 75’s fail to have a regular dental check-up, a disconcerting discovery given that the elderly are more at risk of developing mouth cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure as a result of poor oral hygiene.

Although most people now regularly brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste, simply brushing your teeth twice a day is not enough to sustain adequate oral health. Read on to discover how to maintain the dental health care you truly deserve.

Why senior dental health is a problem

Senior dental health is an issue in Great Britain for several reasons. Firstly, more and more elderly people are now retaining their own teeth which can lead to the development of gum diseases that can in turn lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and oral cancer. Secondly, we are more likely to develop dental problems as we get older and oral cancer mainly occurs in people over 40. Thirdly, a lack of mobility means that fewer senior citizens are attending their regular six monthly check-up with their dentist.

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London City dentists offer early diagnoses for oral cancer

January 17th, 2011

Avoid oral cancer with regular visits to London City dentists

Your dentist is trained to thoroughly examine your mouth for signs of tooth decay and gum disease.  They will be looking out for any sign of excessive plaque which can damage your teeth.  What many people don’t know is that dentists are also trained to spot early signs of oral cancer.  This nasty condition has a fairly high survival rate but it must be caught early in order for it to be treated effectively, just one more reason to visit your dentist regularly.

Those who smoke or regularly drink alcohol to excess are at a higher risk of contracting oral cancer and the disease is more prevalent in men than women.  But even if you are not from one of these high risk categories it is worth being vigilant about it so that you don’t fall ill.

Your dentist will be on the look out for rusty red patches on your gums and the soft tissue of your mouth.  You too can be mindful of these signs when you are at home and brushing your teeth is an ideal time to look for these patches.  If you experience sudden weight loss or have odd tastes in your mouth, sometimes of the metallic variety, then you should report to your dentist.

Looking for a cosmetic dentist? City of London dentists are here to help.

Be sure to pursue a healthy, balanced diet, take steps to quit smoking, cut down on drinking and you are lessening your chances of contracting oral cancer.  Oral hygiene too plays a very important part and you should get in the habit if brushing twice a day for about three minutes and floss as well.  Most important of all is that you visit your London City dentist for regular check ups at which he or she can look out for early signs of oral cancer.

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