Mouth Cancer Action Month!!
Every November Mouth Cancer Action Month is held to try and increase awareness of this devastating disease. Mouth cancer causes more deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or melanomas yet it is still relatively unknown amongst the general population.
The facts:
- Around 60,000 people will be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade.
- Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According to the world Health Organisation, up to half of current smokers will die of tobacco-related illness- including mouth cancers.
- Drinking to excess can increase the risk of mouth cancer by four times. Those who smoke and drink are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
- Poor diet is linked to all types of cancers.
- The HPV virus which can be transmitted through oral sex is also liked to mouth cancers and this is growing in prevalence.
- Mouth cancer is twice as common in men than women, although in recent years this is levelling out.
- Chewing Paan and Gutka can also increase the risk of mouth cancers.
- Age is another factor, people over 40 are more likely to diagnosed with mouth cancer.
Having said all that mouth cancer can occur in anyone and early diagnosis is vital!
Chance of survival is greatly improved if cancers are detected early and treated rapidly. Treatment of mouth cancers if detected late can lead to suffering due to facial deformity, loss of teeth and damage to the tongue and throat causing subsequent difficulty eating and talking.
The key is to reduce your risk factors, mentioned above, as much as possible and also attend for regular examinations with a dentist.
Our dentists are all trained to screen for mouth cancers and will do so at every examination. They will also ask you questions to assess your risk and can offer advice on ways to decrease these risks.
Should anything be found they will urgently refer on to get you assessed and treated.
This year we are aware that a lot of patient have missed their regular examinations due to the COVID pandemic. Despite all the other things we assess as dentists, mouth cancers is the thing we worry about having missed the most! We are now open to do examinations again and open to taking on new patients.
If you haven't had a check-up recently then call us on 01446 771163 or contact us to book an appointment.