What Sort of Dental Disease Signs Should I Be Looking for When Examining My Teeth and Mouth?
Although your best dentist will examine your mouth for any signs of dental diseases such as oral cancer during your biannual checkups, you should make sure you are aware of early signs that something could be wrong. Oral cancer is incredibly rare, but early diagnosis means a far better chance of cure.
Signs that something is wrong include:
• White or red patches on the gums, tongue, the lining of the mouth or the tonsils
• Difficulty moving your tongue or jaw
• Difficulty in chewing or swallowing, or a feeling that your teeth aren’t meeting together correctly
• Feeling hoarse
• Feeling numb in certain areas of your mouth
• Feeling a swelling or thickening in your cheek
• Having a sore or lesion which doesn’t heal
If you have any of these symptoms for more than a couple of weeks you should book an appointment with your best dentist just to make sure you are not suffering from any dental diseases. It is especially important if you smoke or drink heavily, as these are known to increase the risk of oral cancer, but around a quarter of all oral cancers are diagnosed in non smokers and non drinkers.
In the majority of cases your dentist will diagnose another far less serious problem, but ensuring you get early dental care is the best way to keep healthy. Don’t ignore the symptoms, as your dentist would rather see a healthy and worried patient than have to make a late diagnosis.
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