Thebestof Bolton member True Dentistry based on Chorley New Road in Bolton are urging people to have regular screening and check-ups for Oral Cancer after discovering, during a routine checkup that one of the patients had skin cancer.
The patient in question came along to True Dentistry for a routine check up when Dentist, Lubna Alam-Orths noticed a small growth by the side of the patients nose. They then referred the patient to a specialist who then removed the growth and the patient is being treated. The growth was slow growing but if it hadn’t have been spotted early the treatment may have been far more invasive and the patient would have suffered significant facial disfigurement.
Lubna Alam-Orths, principle at True Dentistry has always had a passion for ensuring her patients not only received excellent dental care but looking at the patients overall oral health and well-being. Regular check-ups can help detect some of the 6,000 cases of oral cancer which are diagnosed each year.
Dr Alam-Orths states that awareness of oral cancer is vital because it is responsible for one death every three hours and the survival rates are excellent when caught early.
Some of the most common symptoms of oral cancer can be
· An ulcer or sore in the mouth that doesn’t heal after a couple of weeks
· Red or white areas in the mouth which may or may not be sore
· Difficulty swallowing
· Numbness in the tongue or other area of the mouth
· Thickened area of the mouth or lip
· A change in voice
· Unexpected pain in the mouth
· A denture that becomes unstable due to swelling
· A welling or lump anywhere in the mouth
If you are at all concerned about any of the above, you should seek advice from your GP or Dentist.
Risk factors for Oral Cancer include smoking, excessive drinking, chewing tobacco, poor diet and human papilloma virus which can particularly affect young people.
