Surgeon issues urgent cancer warning for people who don't have regular dental check-ups as cases rise

A surgeon is ringing the alarm for people who fail to attend their regular dental check-ups.

You might assume a dentist is only concerned with the cleanliness of your teeth and gums and preventing cavities. However, skipping out on these vital routine appointments might mean you're missing out on the chance to catch a potentially deadly cancer early, a surgeon has warned.

In the US, the National Cancer Institute finds that oral cancers account for 2.1 percent of cancer deaths this year, estimating it will claim the lives of 12,770 Americans.

The American Cancer Society adds oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers (a type of head and neck cancer that develops in the throat behind the mouth) commonly occurs on the tongue, the tonsils, the gums or other parts of the mouth, as well as occasionally the lips and minor salivary glands in the roof of the mouth.

Dentists are often the first to catch the signs (Getty)

So, it might not be so much of a shock to discover that dentists are often the first to detect any signs of oral cancer, finding abnormalities that even patients and other healthcare professionals might miss.

Dr Andrej Bozic, who works at Dentum in Croatia, said: "Your dentist isn't only checking for cavities. We also look for patches, ulcers or lumps at the back of the mouth and throat - things you might not notice yourself.

"Ignoring those check-ups could mean missing an early cancer diagnosis."

Dentists often look out for lumps or suspicious patches in the mouth and throat, like ulcers or strange white and red patches.

If you have trouble swallowing or feel like something's lodged in your throat, it could be time to seek medical advice.

Difficulty swallowing can be another sign (Getty)

"If any of these symptoms persist for more than a couple of weeks, see your dentist or GP straight away," Dr Bozic said. "Early throat cancers caught by dentists have far better outcomes."

What this means is that keeping throat cancer at bay can be as easy as keeping up with dental appointments every six months, as one case study by Dentistry revealed when a father-of-four ignored his sore throat for months up until his dentist appointment.

It wasn't until the dentist spotted something serious in Robert Powell's mouth and referred him to a doctor that he was told he had cancer in his tonsils.

Fortunately, Robert recovered after some intense rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, though he warns he has some lasting side effects.

"You can’t be complacent and think it won’t happen to you," he said. "Regular dental check-ups really can be a matter of life or death."

Gateway Dental also had a similar case when the practise potentially saved the life of another man.

Dentists can often spot the signs before other healthcare professionals (Getty)

The patient had reported some mild discomfort in his mouth to his doctor but was turned away after finding nothing of concern.

A month later, the surgery said a dentist performed an oral cancer screening on the man and urgently referred him. Afterwards, he was diagnosed with advanced oral cancer.

"Had this lesion gone undetected for much longer, the prognosis could have been devastating," the practise said. "Thanks to early detection and swift action, the patient underwent life-saving treatment and is alive today.

"This case highlights an alarming truth: even trained medical professionals may overlook oral cancer, but dentists—who examine the mouth in detail every day—are uniquely positioned to catch it early."

The problem is, oral cancer is often considered a 'silent threat' with few obvious symptoms and sometimes almost pain-free. When signs do appear, it may have progressed to an advanced, possibly deadly, stage.

Gateway Dental says oral cancer has a survival rate of up to 90 percent when detected early.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.