By the time your child is 6 months old, your doctor should assess the likelihood of your child having future dental problems. This may include a dental exam of the mother and her dental history, because the condition of her teeth can often predict possible problems with her child’s teeth. If the doctor thinks your child will have dental problems, be sure your child sees a dentist by his or her first birthday or 6 months after the first primary teeth appear Click here to see an illustration., whichever comes first. After your first visit, schedule regular visits every 6 months or as your dentist recommends.

Experts recommend that your child’s dental care start at 12 months of age. Babies with dental problems caused by injury, disease, or a developmental problem should be seen by a children’s (pediatric) dentist right away. If these dental problems are not limited to the surfaces of the teeth, your baby should also be seen by a children’s doctor (pediatrician) or your family doctor.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that doctors prescribe fluoride to preschool children older than 6 months of age whose primary water source lacks enough fluoride.1

For more information, see the topics Basic Dental Care, Mouth and Dental Injuries, and Mouth Problems, Noninjury.

Adults, teens, and school-age children

See your dentist once or twice a year. Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of tooth decay, gum disease, and other health problems.

* Your dental hygienist will begin to clean your teeth by scraping hard mineral buildup (tartar) off your teeth with a small metal tool. Then the hygienist will floss your teeth, use a polishing compound, and apply fluoride. Cleanings usually aren’t painful.
* Occasionally your dentist will want to take X-rays. The X-rays take only a few minutes.
o Your dentist or technician will have you put on a heavy apron to shield your body from X-rays. Everyone else in the room will either wear a protective apron or step behind a protective shield.
o Your dentist or technician will have you bite down on a small piece of plastic. This will help align your teeth properly for the machine. Your dentist or technician will repeat this process several times to get pictures of all your teeth.
* If necessary, your dentist will put a sealant on the chewing surface of your back teeth to help prevent cavities. Sealants keep food and bacteria from getting stuck in the rough chewing surfaces or grooves of your teeth, and they protect your teeth from plaque.
* Your dentist or hygienist may apply a fluoride solution directly to your teeth to help prevent tooth decay. Your dentist may recommend a series of fluoride applications.
* If you are prone to infections, you may need to take antibiotics before you have any dental work. This includes people who:
o Have heart valve problems, which put you at risk for endocarditis.
o Have an impaired immune system.
o Had recent major surgeries or have man-made body parts, such as an artificial hip or heart valve.
* Your dentist or hygienist may ask you about the foods you eat. What you eat and whether you get enough vitamins and minerals can affect your dental health.
* If you have active tooth decay or gum disease, your dentist will talk to you about changing your brushing or flossing habits. In severe cases, he or she may recommend antibiotics or other dental treatments. If your teeth and gums appear to be healthy, your dentist will probably recommend that you continue your usual brushing and flossing routine.

After reviewing all of the research, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has not recommended for or against routine screening of adults for oral cancer.2

Similarly, it is not unusual for people to be unhappy with the length or shape of their teeth. So (as you might expect) there is a complimentary procedure known as tooth recontouring. This procedure involves the dentist removing very small strips of tooth enamel to change the length or shape of the offending tooth.

The aim of tooth recontouring is to enhance the appearance of individual teeth and to therefore improve the overall look and balance of your smile. It is often used as part of a broader programme of treatment, which can include tooth whitening for example.

Tooth recontouring is a very straightforward treatment and dentists will often recommend it to resolve minor issues such as a chipped tooth, a tooth with an irregular shape or slightly overlapping teeth. It can also be used to reduce the length of the teeth – especially the canine incisors at the sides of your mouth.

Your dentist uses sanding techniques or a diamond burr to gently smooth out the imperfections and create neater, more aesthetic shapes to your teeth. It may sound a little bit scary, but it is actually also a painless treatment – in fact, an anaesthetic is not usually required as your dentist does not touch the sensitive parts of the teeth, such as the pulp. In the majority of cases, recontouring can be done in a single visit to the dentist. So the results are immediately apparent.

Recontouring, therefore, has many benefits. One of the most important benefits, which has not been mentioned yet, is that it can also help you to maintain a better standard of oral hygiene. Because recontouring can be used to smooth out bumps, trim teeth that overlap and alter irregular shaped teeth, it means that it also removes many of the pockets where food and plaque build up. Once these pockets are gone, your teeth become much easier to keep clean.

If you are interested in tooth recontouring, your first step should be to arrange a full consultation with your dentist. Not everybody is suitable for recontouring. It is important to remember that recontouring is really only suitable for minor imperfections and small corrections. If you require significant work to your teeth, you may require a different type of treatment.

A full consultation with your dentist should help to manage your expectations so that you understand what can be achieved through recontouring. Some patients expect to see radical results after recontouring, when in reality it is only designed to add a little harmony and balance to their teeth.

If you have badly chipped or crooked teeth, your dentist may choose to recommend a different type of treatment rather than recontouring. For example, porcelain veneers are thin layers of porcelain that can be bonded to your teeth. They last for around a decade and present the appearance of white, uniform teeth when you smile. Porcelain veneers can therefore cover up a host of chips, cracks, discolouration and crooked teeth, which recontouring would only make a minimal difference to.

Alternatively, your dentist may be able to apply a bond to a particular tooth when it requires more work than simply recontouring. A bond is a tooth-coloured resin which fills in the cracks and hollows in the tooth to improve its appearance. Together, bonding and recontouring can be used to improve your teeth and enhance the quality of your smile.

Finally, your dentist may also recommend against a recontouring procedure if the enamel on your teeth is very thin. Your dentist will need to take x-rays to ensure that there is enough enamel on your teeth to strip it away and shape it, without exposing the pulp underneath. If the enamel is thin and the pulp is very close to the surface, recontouring may not be an option as the teeth could be irreparably damaged.

Many people try to delay their visits to the dentist for as long as possible. But this is a mistake and a quick look at what causes toothache shows us why.

Our teeth are protected by a hard outer surface, called enamel, and a tough inner wall, called dentin. At the same time, however, these tough defences are constantly under attack. They come under attack from plaque, which builds up on our teeth and reacts with sugary foods to create acid. This acid then erodes the enamel on our teeth, leading to decay.

Decay is the major source of toothache. If plaque is not regularly removed from the teeth, the acid it produces causes cavities to form in the teeth which grow bigger and bigger. Eventually, those cavities reach the inner pulp of the tooth which then becomes exposed and infected.

Therefore, it is important that you visit your dentist regularly for two reasons. Firstly, your dentist can ensure that plaque is not building up on your teeth. Secondly, your dentist can spot cavities early and fill them before they become a serious problem.

As with most other dental issues, if you ignore something it will not go away. A small cavity grows into a bigger cavity. From here, the pulp which contains the nerves and blood vessels that keep the tooth alive becomes infected. If this infection is not treated, it can form an abscess which causes the gum and cheek to swell up.

What can you try to do to prevent toothache? Your first step must be to try and stop plaque from building up on your teeth. The best way to remove plaque is by regular brushing. Your should brush your teeth twice every day. Most dentists will also recommend that you floss regularly too. Flossing helps to get rid of the food and other debris that builds up in between your teeth where your brush does not necessarily reach.

Secondly, you should try to avoid sugary snack and drinks. These are the kinds of foods that react with the plaque on your teeth to cause acid. It is this acid that erodes the enamel and causes tooth decay. Therefore, by avoiding sugary snacks and drinks, you can help to avoid the formation of tooth cavities.

While cavities can take a long time to develop, you will not necessarily experience any pain from a small cavity. Only your dentist may notice these. Therefore, the decay can be eating away at your tooth for a long time before the toothache arrives suddenly and without much warning. You should make an appointment to visit your dentist as soon as possible. In the meantime, over-the-counter painkillers may help to ease the discomfort.

Most cases of decay and toothache can be caught early enough and remedied with a simple cavity filling. Your dentist will identify the hole in the tooth which is causing the pain, clear away the decay and fill the hole with a tough, durable material.

On occasions, if the plaque has eaten away a significant proportion of the tooth, it may have become cracked, split or fractured. If this happens and the structure of the tooth is affected, a filling may not be possible. However, your dentist may still be able to save the tooth by fitting a crown.

As the decay progresses, the pain becomes even more intense and the treatment required becomes more complex and costly. Once the pulp becomes infected and an abscess forms, root canal treatment is required. When the dentist clears out the infected pulp, the tooth’s links to the blood and nervous systems have been lost. The tooth, therefore, is essentially dead.

Often, pain is a warning sign from our body that we need to have something fixed. This is very much the case with toothache. However, as you can see, it is important that you do not wait until have toothache before visiting your dentist. The best approach to looking after your teeth is to be proactive; visit your dentist regularly and keep your teeth in tip-top condition. If you look after your teeth in the right way, decay should not be a problem.

The aim of straightening your teeth is ultimately to give your self-esteem a boost. However, wearing conventional braces for two to three years is often likely to have the opposite effect. Conventional braces are made of metal and wire and they look ugly and uncomfortable.

Braces are most often associated with teenagers. At a young age, straightening your teeth means that you can look forward to a lifetime of smiling confidently. Therefore, wearing ugly braces ultimately seems worth it. But what about adults? Many adults also want straighter teeth. But it is not usually as easy to feel comfortable wearing braces when you are older. It can disrupt both your personal and professional life.

Nowadays, the dental profession has realised that many adults in particular are choosing to live with crooked teeth rather than live with braces for two to three years. Therefore, patients now have a number of different options for straightening their teeth. If you want your teeth straightened quickly, there are products that specialise in moving teeth fast. If you want your brace to be invisible, there are products with braces that are very discrete. Or if you want to stick to a budget, there are products where the emphasis is all about affordability.

First of all, let’s take a closer look at conventional braces. They are often nick-named ‘train tracks’ because the metal tracks on the braces run right across the middle of the teeth. No disguising those then. Metal wire and elastics are also incorporate into the design to create constant tension, which gradually moves teeth into their new position. Regular visits to the dentist are required, so that the tension within the braces can be slowly tightened over time.

From an aesthetic perspective, there is clearly plenty of room for improvement here. For example, if you are worried about other people being aware of your braces, you may choose to straighten your teeth using a Lingual brace. Lingual braces work in the same way as conventional braces, however they fit to the back of your teeth rather than the front. So you don’t have to put up with ‘train track’ look. Lingual braces can be slightly more uncomfortable to wear than conventional braces, although most patients soon get used to them.

There are also a number of other products on the market with innovative designs. In many cases, these products are specifically designed for adults who want to improve their smile without the hassle of wearing conventional braces. Invisalign is one such product – rather than being a brace, it is a series of clear plastic, removable aligners. Alternatively, you could also ask your dentist about The Inman Aligner. Neither product is suitable for major tooth straightening tasks, but they can both move crooked teeth quickly and easily.

The choices do not end there either. If comfort is most important to you, try Damon braces. They are designed without elastics, so they are more comfortable and work fast, as there is less friction stopping the teeth from moving. There is also a new treatment called Six-Month Smiles. The secret of this treatment is that it only moves the teeth you can see when you smile – so it can produce results very quickly (often in six months, of course!)

Every patient is different and everyone’s teeth are unique. Therefore it is important that you have a full evaluation by your dentist before you decide on any orthodontic work. However, it is safe to say that, now, there is a product or treatment out there to suit everyone. And of course, you can easily cheat! There is always the option of covering your crooked teeth with porcelain veneers. They will not move your teeth at all, simply cover them with thin veneers which are durable, tooth-coloured and which look fantastic.

Plaque is building up on our teeth all the time. Every minute of every day. A soft deposit that contains millions of bacteria, plaque forms a thin, sticky film on the teeth. When we eat certain foods – especially sugary foods and carbohydrates – they interact with the bacteria in the plaque and acid forms. Because the plaque on our teeth is so sticky, the acid clings to our teeth and, over time, it can dissolve the enamel. Ultimately, this leads to tooth decay.

Unfortunately, that might not be the end of the problem either. Plaque which is not removed from the teeth can harden and turn into calculus. This is much more difficult to remove. It is also the precursor to the spread of gum disease, which is one of the main reasons why adults lose their teeth.

Gum disease is a problem that escalates unless it is treated. The build-up of plaque can cause the bacteria to irritate your gums, so that your gums can become swollen and sore. This is called gingivitis and it is fairly common. If you do not have gingivitis treated, it can escalate into periodonitis which is a far more serious form of gum disease. As the bacteria in the plaque causes the gums to recede, pockets form where more plaque can build up. The plaque in these pockets is very difficult to remove and it is able to attack your teeth right at their roots. If left untreated, this will ultimately cause your teeth to loosen and fall out.

Of course, that’s what we don’t want to happen. So how can plaque be removed?

Luckily, plaque is fairly easy to remove by regular brushing. Therefore, sticking to a good oral hygiene regimen is important. Dentists recommend that you should brush twice every day for at least two minutes at a time. If you are unsure about the best technique for brushing your teeth, consult your dentist. They will be able to demonstrate the best methods to ensure that plaque is removed and they will also be able to recommend the right type of toothbrush. You should buy a new toothbrush at least every three months, as they become less effective at removing plaque over time.

Dentists and oral hygiene experts also recommend that you floss regularly. One of the dangers of plaque is that it can accumulate at the base of your teeth where it is hard to reach by brushing. Flossing will help to remove this plaque before it starts to damage your teeth.

The third part of your oral hygiene programme should be regular visits to your dentists. Plaque only causes significant problems if it is allowed to build up and harden into calculus. If you visit your dentist regularly, they will be able to identify pockets of plaque that your brushing and flossing has failed to remove. Your dentist will be able to remove these pockets of plaque for you. Alternatively, they may recommend that you visit an oral hygiene specialist, for a scale and polish.

You should aim to visit your dentist at least once every six months. Ideally, you should also have a scale and polish at least once every twelve months.

If the plaque on your teeth has hardened and turned into calculus, this requires much more in-depth cleaning around the roots of the teeth and the gums. This procedure can be painful so you will require a local anaesthetic. If there is a large build up of calculus, your dentist may recommend that you have it removed over a number of visits.

Finally, it is also important to remember that the bacteria in your plaque reacts with sugary snacks and drinks. Therefore, if you are concerned about tooth decay, avoiding these types of food will help.

Orthognathic surgery is usually required to redress serious craniofacial anomalies. In fact, the name ‘orthognathic’ quite literally means ‘surgery to create straight jaws’. It can be used to correct facial deformities, facial asymmetry, eating and biting issues, cleft lips and even speech problems. Orthognathic surgery is therefore normally part of a much broader programme of treatment for a wide variety of issues.

Orthognathic surgery is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. This is a type of surgeon with specific skills in dentistry. However, the surgeon will often liaise closely with other specialists, such as the orthodontist or perhaps even a speech therapist. Depending on the patient requirements, it can involve a large team bringing a number of areas of expertise together.

Orthodontic work is often an important aspect of the overall programme. However, orthodontic treatment alone will only correct the patient’s bite. If the problem is with the underlying bone structure, then orthognathic surgery is required to move the jaw into the correct position. Only once this has been successfully done can the orthodontist start the process of moving the teeth.

The actual surgical process that is involved in orthognathic surgery is known as osteomies. Osteomies is the name given the technique whereby sections of the jaw are isolated and cut so that they can then be moved into the correct positions. In the past, the patient would need to have their jaw wired so that the moved sections remained in place. Modern techniques, however, mean that the jaw can now by held in place by smaller metal plates, which are far more discrete.

Patients will normally be required to remain in hospital for around five days. Once the surgeon is happy that the operation has been a success, your orthodontist will move your teeth into the correct position using a brace. In fact, the majority of patients will begin wearing their brace before the procedure begins and even continue wearing it throughout the operation. In this way, the teeth can begin to move and, once the jaw is in the right position, they can be brought into their final position.

How long you have to wear your brace after surgery will depend on how far your teeth need to be moved to reach their correct position. For some patients, it can be as short as a three-month period. For others, it can take as long as twelve months for the teeth to move successfully. It all depends on how severe the case is to begin with.

Orthognathic surgery is a very safe procedure that can make a real difference to how patient’s perceive themselves. Modern dental equipment means that the jawbone can be cut and moved easily and with great precision. After the procedure, you may find that you have some bruising and swelling around the jaw. However, this should subside quite quickly and your doctor will be able to prescribe anti-biotics to reduce the swelling if required.

Once the procedure has been completed, it is more than likely that the patient will have a meeting with a dietician to talk about maintaining a healthy diet while their jaw heals. For the first few weeks or month, you will be restricted to a liquid diet. You should stick carefully to the diet your dietician prescribes. Your orthodontist will also give you clear instructions on how to care for your brace.

The effectiveness of your brace depends to a large extent on the patient. Regular visits to your orthodontist will be required so that he or she can maintain the tension of the brace so that it moves the teeth as efficiently as possible. Missed appointments may mean that it takes longer to move your teeth and that the treatment time is therefore extended.

In immediate answer is that, where a filling is insufficient, a crown is required. A crown is needed when the tooth has decayed to such an extent that the tooth itself is not strong enough to hold a filling. Therefore, your dentist clears away the decay, shapes the remaining parts of the tooth and then the crown is quite literally placed over the top.

Therefore, in terms of procedures, it is quite a leap from a filling to crown. A filling is quite often a relatively quick procedure that can be completed in just one visit. A crown is much more expensive to fit and requires at least two visits, as the mould needs to be taken then sent to a laboratory for the crown to be constructed.

So it is natural to look for a treatment which can sit neatly in between. Something stronger and more durable than a filling. Yet also something which is easier to fit than a crown and which allows you to salvage the remaining healthy parts of your existing tooth. This is exactly where onlays and inlays can be included in your dentist’s repertoire.

Onlays and inlays are deployed when the cavity is too large for a filling but the structure of the tooth is still sound. Therefore, rather than re-shaping a sound tooth to fit under a crown, your dentist can simply use an inlay or onlay. An inlay fills the gap in the tooth while the only is applied to the top of the tooth – but apart from positioning they essentially play the same function.

Usually, inlays and onlays are used to restore the back teeth as these are the teeth that do the most work, are the hardest to clean and often suffer the most from decay. Sometimes, they are also used to replace older amalgam fillings. The reason for this is because onlays and inlays can be manufactured from tooth-coloured materials, such as composite resin or porcelain.

The treatment for onlays and inlays is usually a more straightforward process than fitting a crown. However, that does depend on the tooth and the amount of decay. An old amalgam filling may need to be removed, as well as the decay cleaned away. Then the onlay or inlay is prepared in a laboratory and usually fitted at a second appointment. Nowadays, some dental practices have the technology to create onlays and inlays on the same day, which means that they can sometimes be fitted during a single appointment.

Therefore, there are a number of advantages to dental inlays and onlays. The first, and most important advantage, is that they do a fantastic job. They are made from very durable materials which means that they have the potential to last much longer than standard amalgam fillings – up to 30 years in fact.

Of course, you must maintain a good standard of oral hygiene, brushing your teeth and visiting your dentist regularly. However, your newly restored tooth will not require any special treatment when it comes to how you look after it.

Secondly, your inlays and onlays are made from tooth-coloured materials. So they have a much greater aesthetic quality that a standard amalgam fillings. In fact, many people choose to have their existing amalgam fillings replaced with onlays and inlays purely for aesthetic reasons. They help to create an attractive, healthy and natural looking smile.

Finally, the most important advantage to onlays and inlays is that they allow your dentist to salvage as much of your natural tooth as they can. When fitting a crown, your dentist has to file and shape the tooth into a conical shape so that the crown will fit over it. So some of the healthy tooth may need to be chipped away. Onlays and inlays ensure that this process is avoided – and the longer you can keep your natural teeth healthy, the less likely you are to face serious dental work in the future.

No-one is 100% sure what causes mouth ulcers. What we are all agreed on is that they can be very painful. The inside of the mouth is one of the most sensitive and tender areas of the body. Mouth ulcers constantly seem to catch on our teeth, become inflamed when we eat and irritated when we drink. They often appear in clusters too, which makes things even worse.

For some people – perhaps as many as one in five of us – mouth ulcers are not just a one-off that causes us discomfort every now and again. They are a constant worry and a chronic, recurring problem. For chronic sufferers, mouth ulcers return on a regular basis, stay for longer and can often be much larger than usual. The worse cases can involve people having more than ten ulcers in their mouth at a time.

Sounds nasty, doesn’t it? Well, it most certainly is. For chronic sufferers of mouth ulcers, life can become difficult during an attack. It can become very difficult to eat, drink and talk. It makes every day a torment and a trial, whether you are trying to talk to business contact on the phone or eat a pizza in a restaurant. It can make people depressed, anti-social and irritable.

There is no medical consensus on what causes mouth ulcers. However, most doctors agree that they are not contagious. The most likely is that they are an allergic reaction or that it is our auto-immune system over-reacting. On other occasions, they can simply be caused by damage to the inside of the mouth. As it is so tender, even brushing too hard may be enough to harm the cheek or gums.

As there is no real understanding of what causes mouth ulcers, as you can expect, there is no defined approach about how to treat them. Ultimately, however, you just have to tough it out. If ulcers are very painful, most people will try gargling with soluble aspirin or rinsing your mouth with iced water. You should also try to avoid eating anything which might unnecessarily inflame your ulcers – hot, spicy foods and hot drinks will probably fall into this category for most of us.

There are also a number of over-the-counter treatments for mouth ulcers. While there are different brand names, the majority take the same approach which is a gel containing analgesic. You may have to try a few until you find a brand that works for you.

If treating them is not a great success, how about preventing them. Is there anything that you can do to prevent mouth ulcers? Most doctors will recommend eating a healthy diet that gives your body an abundance of vitamins and minerals. This will usually include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Taking vitamin supplements may also help while some sufferers recommend natural live yoghurts and pro-biotic products.

You must also make sure that you maintain a good oral hygiene and health programme. For a start, you must make sure that you are not using any products that irritate your mouth. Use a softer toothbrush and try and find a toothpaste that is less abrasive. Similarly, you may find that an alcohol-free mouthwash is the best choice (or no mouthwash at all). Make sure that you visit your dentist regularly, so that you dentist can help to remove plaque and debris from your teeth. This will stop the build-up of bacteria that can damage your gums.

Finally, if you do suffer from mouth ulcers on a regular basis, it is important that you consult your doctor rather than suffering in silence. There are a number of conditions of which mouth ulcers can be a symptom. These include immuno-deficiency diseases and mouth cancers, so you should always seek a professional opinion and advice from your doctor or your dentist.

The greatest problem with oral herpes is that it is such a contagious disease. It is transferred through mucous and saliva, so it is very easy to catch. Once oral herpes has been caught, it quickly results in sores and blisters around the lips, mouth and gums. These sores are often known as cold sores and they can be very painful. They can also be very unsightly and embarrassing. When these sores appear, this is the point at which the disease is most contagious.

The sores that appear around the mouth as a result of oral herpes do not usually last for more than a week. However, they can be very painful and can even result in sufferers finding it difficult to eat and drink because they are suffering such discomfort.

Once the sores have disappeared, the herpes virus is still present. In fact, it lodges in tissue in the spine where it can reproduce. This sounds like it could result in further symptoms. However, in many cases, it is no longer noticeable and the sores do not reappear. For other people, however, the sores which characterise oral herpes can reappear during times of stress, anxiety and worry.

For the most part, this is as bad as oral herpes gets. As mentioned above, it is not usually a dangerous condition and while the sores can be painful, they are more usually associates with a sense of feeling socially awkward and self-conscious.

So, is there anything that you can do to successfully treat oral herpes? For most people, the condition become something that they learn to live with over time. On occasions, however, you may wish to consult your doctor if the pain from your blisters and sores becomes very bad. Your doctor will be able to prescribe an analgesic to help you to manage the pain until the sores become less inflamed. Another alternative is to prescribe anti-viral drugs, which can help the cold sores to disappear more quickly.

For some people, the pain from their sores can be so bad that they find it difficult to eat and drink. One of the symptoms of this can be dehydration. If you feel dehydrated and weak, you should consult your doctor. On very rare occasions, oral herpes can result in sufferers feeling slightly feverish. Once again, if this is the case, consult your doctor.

If oral herpes cannot be treated, can it be prevented? As mentioned earlier in this article, oral herpes is highly contagious. Also, there is no vaccine currently available. Therefore, the only route to avoiding oral herpes is to avoid coming into close contact with individuals who have visible symtoms. If you have already contracted oral herpes, you may be able to talk to your doctor about ways that you can reduce stress so that the sores recur less frequently.

One area which may be of concern for parents is: what happens if your child catches oral herpes? If your child is less than six weeks old and you think that he or she may have oral herpes, then you should call your doctor immediately. Younger children have weaker immune systems and so can be more susceptible to the virus. In very rare cases, the virus can travel to the brain and affect the nervous system.

If you child is older and has developed the sores, then you should monitor them carefully. If they show signs of fever or of dehydration, then you should call your doctor.

Many adults find that their cold sores return when they are stressed, unhappy or anxious. Doctors do not know why this is. However, if you do find that your cold sores are returning regularly and that they are causing you a great deal of pain and discomfort, speak to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe anti-viral drugs which can help to suppress the outbreak of the virus.

Mouth cancer is actually a generic, umbrella term that covers a large number of different types of cancer. Oral cancer can affect the underside of your tongue, the floor of the mouth, the roof of the mouth, the gums and inside of the cheeks. There are also types of cancer that can affect the salivary glands, the tonsils and the lips.

The most commonly occurring type of mouth cancer is known as squamous cell carcinoma. It attacks the squamous cells on the lining of the mouth and most commonly occurs on the floor of the mouth.

So why is mouth cancer on the increase? Smoking is certainly one reason. However, it is not the only reason. Health experts also believe that an increase in the levels of alcohol drinking are another important factor. There are an increasing number of men and women (especially in their twenties and thirties) who drink more than their recommended units.

However, smoking and drinking, while important, are not the only causes of mouth cancer. It could be that diet can also be a contributory factor and some foods are shown to help fight cancer, shown as broccoli and other leafy vegetables. Some oral cancers are also similar to skin cancer, so if you spend a lot of time in the sun, make sure you protect your lips with sunscreen.

In many cases, the greatest protection against mouth cancer is early detection. While in the initial stages of mouth cancer, you may not feel any pain. However, you may notice mild symptoms such as stubborn mouth ulcers that refuse to go away. You may also notice that it is sore to talk, eat or move your tongue. Alternatively, you may notice numbness in your mouth or a discoloured area on your tongue or cheek. In all of these cases, the symptoms may be mild, but the noticeable element may be the fact that you can’t get rid of them.

If you think you have any of the symptoms of oral cancer, you should speak to your GP immediately. Early detection of cancer greatly increases the possibility of successful treatment. Treatment at this stage is much more straightforward, much less debilitating for the patient and offer more chance of success.

There are two important elements in the detection of cancer. First of all, your doctor needs to identify whether cancer is definitely present. This requires a biopsy, during with a tissue sample is taken from the affected area and analysed in a laboratory.

If the biopsy is positive, the next step is to discover how much the cancer has spread. This will usually require x-rays or an endoscopy – an internal examination of your throat and tongue using a flexible tube.

Usually, if the cancer has been detected early enough, it can be removed through surgery. If the cancer is very small, this may be a very simple procedure that does not even require an overnight stay in hospital. In some cases, the procedure can even be done under local anaesthetic.

If the cancer has spread too far for surgery to be effective, then other treatment options will include radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Radiotherapy destroys cancer cells through concentrated bursts of radiation onto the affected areas. Chemotherapy attacks the cancer cells through the use of medication. Both radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be difficult treatments to go through.

While watching out for symptoms is one way to detect mouth cancer early, your dentist will also have a vital role to play. You should view your dentist as the expert who takes care of your oral health, rather than simply someone who looks after your teeth. If you are visiting your dentist regularly for check-ups – this means at least once every six months – then they will be best placed to spot possible mouth cancer and refer you to a GP or oncologist.