R
Row James
Junior member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2016
- Messages
- 3
- Location
- Beds
Hi,
I've joined this forum because I'm starting along the scary path to total extractions and double All-on-4 and have found some incredibly helpful threads from some amazing people, thank you.
However, I thought I would ask whether the subject of head & neck cancer is discussed here too.
My husband had SUCCESSFUL treatment for this 3 years ago and is now completely cancer-free.
But, the symptoms had been completely missed by the dentist with whom he had numerous appointments to treat gum disease, have extractions, and a partial-denture fitted.
Luckily he realised that the lump on his neck, growing so quickly, wasn't right, hot footed to the GP and was quickly referred to hospital. All before telling me, so it was a shock on our return from holiday, when we both went to find the results of the tests. A shock for me, but he had done his homework well, and was prepared.
The day the dentist submitted the bill for all that work to us was the day my husband had his tonsils, 49 lymph nodes, and all of his teeth removed in preparation for radio & chemo therapies.
When I contacted the dentist I was very very upset. Why had he not noticed the lump, or the visibly swollen tonsils during the number of recent appointments?
He replied that he was very sorry but that when he did his training he was told to expect 1 case in his working life, but he had already now come across 3.
My own dentist is in the same practice and until that moment had never checked jaw and neck for swellings, or looked at the back of my mouth. I note that he does it every time now.
So, can I make everyone aware that this is a growing problem, which can have a very successful outcome, although the treatment is extreme if it's not diagnosed early enough. Husband was stage IV.
Dentists, please follow simple checking procedures on every patient, and people, please get any lumps or persistent mouth-ulcers checked out sooner rather than later: Don't let the fear stop you, let it make you go faster!
Thanks and good luck everyone x
I've joined this forum because I'm starting along the scary path to total extractions and double All-on-4 and have found some incredibly helpful threads from some amazing people, thank you.
However, I thought I would ask whether the subject of head & neck cancer is discussed here too.
My husband had SUCCESSFUL treatment for this 3 years ago and is now completely cancer-free.
But, the symptoms had been completely missed by the dentist with whom he had numerous appointments to treat gum disease, have extractions, and a partial-denture fitted.
Luckily he realised that the lump on his neck, growing so quickly, wasn't right, hot footed to the GP and was quickly referred to hospital. All before telling me, so it was a shock on our return from holiday, when we both went to find the results of the tests. A shock for me, but he had done his homework well, and was prepared.
The day the dentist submitted the bill for all that work to us was the day my husband had his tonsils, 49 lymph nodes, and all of his teeth removed in preparation for radio & chemo therapies.
When I contacted the dentist I was very very upset. Why had he not noticed the lump, or the visibly swollen tonsils during the number of recent appointments?
He replied that he was very sorry but that when he did his training he was told to expect 1 case in his working life, but he had already now come across 3.
My own dentist is in the same practice and until that moment had never checked jaw and neck for swellings, or looked at the back of my mouth. I note that he does it every time now.
So, can I make everyone aware that this is a growing problem, which can have a very successful outcome, although the treatment is extreme if it's not diagnosed early enough. Husband was stage IV.
Dentists, please follow simple checking procedures on every patient, and people, please get any lumps or persistent mouth-ulcers checked out sooner rather than later: Don't let the fear stop you, let it make you go faster!
Thanks and good luck everyone x
