We are all aware of the links between smoking and serious diseases - it's hard to miss the warnings on cigarette packets.

At York Place Dental we're supporting the Stoptober Smoking campaign.

The Crucial Role of Your Dentist in Early Cancer Diagnosis

You may not realise this, but your dentist has a vital role in helping to detect early signs of mouth cancer in your mouth. The most common cause of mouth cancer, the squamous cell carcinoma, is closely linked with tobacco smoking and chewing. Currently over 5000 new cases a year are being diagnosed in the UK, and a high proportion of these cases are fatal.

At your dental examination, many dentists now take a couple of minutes to feel your neck to check for signs of swelling under your mouth and in your lymph nodes. They'll then go on and check the skin on your face and then inside your mouth for ulcers and unusually coloured patches. It's a great opportunity to screen patients for disease on a regular basis.

If there is something amiss, you'll be referred to a specialist head and neck cancer centre for a more thorough check, and if necessary, treatment using a specially designed fast referral system.

At York Place, we have made four early diagnoses of mouth cancer over a 20 year period. Not many, thank goodness, but potentially four lives saved...

So, if you smoke, why not take the opportunity to try and give up - it's never too late. The NHS Stoptober campaign is with us again...click here to find out more about Stoptober.