Mouth Cancer Screening

Mouth Cancer Screening

Background

At New Malden Smiles, screening for mouth cancer is included for all our new patients, and as part of regular dental check-ups.

Mouth cancer screenings are a very important part of your dental check-up. Although mouth cancer may not get as much attention as some more widely known types of cancers, that doesn't mean it is any the less deadly. While thankfully it accounts for a relatively small percentage of all cancers, mouth cancer is dangerous because it isn't usually detected, until it has reached an advanced stage. At that point, the odds aren't great: only about 6 out of 10 people will survive after five years of treatment. There are, on average, almost 6000 new cases of mouth cancer diagnosed in the UK each year.

As with all cancers, early detection is crucial in improving the chances of recovery. Late detection of mouth cancers has resulted in a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma. There are about 1800 deaths per year in the UK from mouth cancer. Studies indicate that incidence of mouth cancer is on the rise.

What To Expect

A detailed analysis of your oral health history to determine any risk factors that you may have. Certain lifestyle choices can have a great impact on the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth.
A thorough examination of the outside of your mouth, head and neck by observation and touch.
A thorough internal examination of your mouth, including the inside of your cheeks, roof of your mouth and under your tongue. Remember, your dentist is able to see parts of your mouth that you cannot see easily yourself.
Any inconclusive findings are referred to a specialist consultant at your nearest local hospital.
"...Having an urgent hospital referral in December followed by tests in early January 2015, it was found that I had stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I started 6 months of chemo on 3rd Feb 2015 and have been successfully treated. Without Mr Shah’s quick attention and help, this may not have been picked up as quickly as it was as it was his referral that got the diagnosis..."
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